Baseball Cards and Bullies
The other day, while doing online research on do-it-yourself home repair, I came across a Youtube video on how to put baseball cards on your bicycle wheel to make it sound “cool.” Really? Kids need a video to learn how to do that? I can remember as a child it was pretty easy to attach several cards to my bicycle with a clothespin so the cards touched the spokes as they went around. To me, my bike sounded like a hot rod dragster. It was boss.
Later in life, I realized that some of those cards could be worth hundreds of dollars today. Silly me. Back then, it was more important to make noise than it was to determine the value of something.
Life can be like that. So often we live for the moment, rather than for the lifetime. There is nothing wrong with having fun and enjoying yourself. Most of us should do more to slow down and smell the roses. But, mistreating the valuable for selfish gain, must be addressed.
This premise leads me to a discussion on bullies. (Stay with me) Bullies belittle other people who have weight issues, or physical impairments, or speech deficiencies. The bully thinks nothing of embarrassing their victims in front of their peers with stinging results. Sometimes, their hurtful tactics become physical, if not violent. The bully places a higher value on diminishing others, than determining their value.
Have you heard the old story about the preacher who held up a crisp new twenty dollar bill, and asked the congregation who would like to have it? Hands were raised all over the building. Then he crushed it in the palm of his hand making it wrinkled. He again asked if the people would still want it. Again, hands were raised. Finally, he took the $20 bill and stepped on it with his boot until it was dirty from the floor. Then he asked, does anybody still want this crushed, wrinkled, dirty $20 bill? Everyone said yes.
Then he made the point that even though the $20 bill was abused, it was still worth $20. It held its’ value. He said that many times our lives are abused, sullied, and wrinkled, but we never lose our value to God and those who love us. Our real value is in who we are and whose we are.
Through the Work of Christ on the Cross, God paid a high price for our eternal soul. YOU are valuable!
Consider 1 Corinthians 7:23 NLT – “God paid a high price for you, so don't be enslaved by the world.”
A baseball card that has been used to make noise on a bike may lose value because it has been shattered. But the human soul remains highly valued by God. Your body may weaken and your eyes may grow dim, but God sees your eternal value.
Be encouraged today if you are not physically perfect, who is? Hollywood is not your standard. We have a higher standard in Christ Jesus. Psalm 140:12 (ESV), “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.”