You Value What?! Why?

You value What?

I was reading the Yahoo news today and saw an article about a purse selling for a ridiculous amount of money! The purse originally cost $345 which seems a ridiculous amount in the first place. However, this particular purse sold on e-bay for $13,100 and will be matched for a total of $26,200. Wow! 26,200! Let’s see what we could do with that money. We could:

Buy a van for a family in need
Buy 131 weeks of groceries ($200 per week)
Buy 524 $50 coats for someone who is without
Pay 2 years worth of rent or mortgage payments around $1000 per month
In some places buy a foreclosed property to live in
Support someone for about a year or more who has lost their job
Pay about 175 months worth of gas or electric for the house
Purchase about 874 gallons of gasoline
Pay for all or part of a surgery someone needs
Provide 17 overnight stays in the hospital (amount varies)
Purchase 875 or more pairs of shoes or pants for those in need
Provide 1018 sleeping bags to the homeless

And the list could go on and on.

Now, the reason this purse all of a sudden became a “celebrity” is because recently a man took a school board hostage. A woman made an unsuccessful bid at hitting the gunman with her purse to try to disarm the gunman. The attempt did not work and the gunman wound up killing himself. Viola! All of a sudden a not attractive, basic bland, too expensive in the first place purse is a sought after commodity! Furthermore, why is this so newsworthy, other than the obvious absurdity of it?

This man had a family and such. That in no way excuses his behavior. However, I have noticed that this type of thing has become soooo common place that we have put value on objects involved with these episodes rather than value and concern on the people who are affected by this type of incident. When did “things” start to out-value people?

Don’t get me wrong, I believe it is the person’s (who has the money) right to use it any way he or she feels is in their best interest. I just find it disturbing that there is soooooo much that could be done with that money rather than buy a used purse. I would love for someone to give me even $100 for my used purse, let alone $26,200.

What a crazy, mixed up world we live in. Sometimes it makes me embarrassed and a bit ashamed to claim a fair amount of the human inhabitants as my “siblings” here on earth.

Oh well, I know Heavenly Father knows my heart and what I hold as valuable.

It works both ways

I was thinking the other day about the scripture Matthew 25:40 which says: "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me". This in response to the Lord saying that when he was hungered, thirsty, a stranger, naked, or in prison; that someone took care of him. Then the "Blessed of the Father" answers that they don't know what he is talking about because they do not remember ministering to the Lord. The Lord responds with the above passage.

I love that passage because it reminds us that we are all brothers and sisters and should not pick and choose who we minister to based on our own perseptions, we should minister to all those who have need.

More (and most importantly to me) is that when people read this I think they, myself included, think it is just the good things we do for our fellow man that He counts as having it done to Him. However, upon further reflection, I need to remember that when I have harsh words for someone; or am zealous in my nasty, self-righteous attitude; or I cheat someone; or gossip about them; or any number of unrighteous acts, then I have also done these things to the Lord. It works both ways. Just something to think about.

To the Death

The new Narnia movie just came out so we watched the first....and second film in anticipation of the third (which I have yet to see). In the first film my absolute favorite part is when King Peter looks to the Centaur next to him and says "Are you with me?". The Centaurian looks at him and simply states "To the Death" without any hesitation and as if King Peter should even have to ask such an absurd question. Well, that got me to thinking. If the Lord stood next to me and asked me "Are you with me?", could I answer "To the Death" as quickly, honestly, without fear and hesitation? I honestly don't know. My first reaction would be to deny that I would hesitate. However, I vowed to be honest in my blog so I must answer honestly. I think I would hesitate. I would be afraid for at least half a second or more. Then I would try to remember who it is that is asking me this question.

On the other hand, if I asked the same question of the Lord, I know how He would answer. Just as he did when in the Great Council. Without fear of man. With conviction of what is right. I would like to think I answered in the affirmative during the war in the Heavens, or else I would not be here. I just need to shrug off the natural man, remember my divine nature and purpose, and be willing to shout out "to the Death!" if the Lord asks if I am with him.