A pretty complicated set of circumstances got me to thinking how predictable it is that human beings will value something more when we work hard to get them. I had always valued hard work and the rewards of labor, but I only today got to thinking that this could be my sinful nature talking.

Ironically, or not, this is what legalism does to pure religion. It does it so thoroughly that the word religion now almost means legalism. Consider this verse:

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” – James 1:27 (NIV)

Don’t be surprised if future revisions of the NIV change the word “religion” to something like worship, or service. The word has been spoiled by legalism and so have we.

So back to the point. Is the value of something directly related to the trouble we go through to get it? Absolutely not! That is absurd, but for some reason we naturally tend that way. I have a suspicion that our problem doesn’t lie in our ability to judge value, but it lies in our need to feel valuable. You see, if we work hard for something, then we’ve earned it… we deserve it… we have a right to it. That’s what we want, we want a right to it and ultimately it is just that same old control freak sinful nature grasping for our affections.

So God’s version of all this is just like a father and child. He wants us to be His children. We are just terrible at it. We don’t just accept and cherish His gifts, we keep striving to be worthy, and thereby we strive for the wrong reasons. I believe God wants us to live life in wonder, like a child. He wants us to wander wide-eyed and anticipating a surprise around every corner. We can be skilled and child-like, but only when we live life the way God meant us too.

3And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 18:3 (NIV)

Even gigantic financial losses in the stock market, or catastrophic engine failure in a vehicle, or a runaway dog… There is our challenge, “do not be anxious”. I’m still trying to remember running around in the yard as it was getting dark, my hands cold on an autumn evening at my childhood home. I can’t remember my thoughts… whatever they were, they weren’t stress.

Finally consider this verse:

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. – Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

The word anxious kinda bothers me, consider the definition:

anx·ious
1. full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous.
2. earnestly desirous; eager.

I tend to think that the verse in Philippians means the first one, because the second… well that kid on that autumn evening definitely had lots of the second one.