“ Is Love Worth The Cost ”

“What’s that worth … what’s the value ?” How do we determine value? “Economic value is the value a person places on an economic good based on the benefit that they derive from the good…. often estimated as the person’s willingness to pay for the good.” 

The paradox of value examines why goods that are not essential to life can command a much higher price than goods that are essential to life…. the classic example is the price of water and diamonds. Tom Brady’s “last” touchdown pass ball sold for over $500,000…. yet human life is too often considered of zero value.

How do we value love? How do we value Christ’s sacrifice on the cross in redeeming us from our sins? What’s it worth to us ? What did it cost Jesus? It seems ludicrous to even ask these questions. If we experienced a moment of hell…separated from God and life and hope…how would we value Christ’s sacrifice for us? If we experienced a moment of the pain that Jesus endured on the cross, how would we value his sacrifice? 

Love costs ! All love costs ! Christ’s incredible and infinite love cost incredibly and infinitely. If we understood this even a bit more, we wouldn’t be so calculating in our response to the Lord. We wouldn’t be so hesitant. When asked to love, we wouldn’t pause because of the cost to us. “Hey that’s going to cost me… that’s going to hurt me….I’m not sure I want to pay that price…it may not be worth it….”

The other day we honored one of my beautiful daughters on her baptismal day. One after the other encouraged her for her love…her love for so many, for her husband and her children, and her siblings, and her parents, her in-laws, her nieces and nephews, her co-workers, her vulnerable patients, her friends- young and old, those in needs….it was really inspiring. Yet though these many acts of love often seemed effortless, it was clear that each act of love came at a cost. Love costs. Great love comes only at a great cost. 

Too often I can try to love without paying the price…. but that doesn’t work. Either I love and pay the price or it’s not love and no one gets blessed. But when we do love, something great begins to happen…we become men and women of love. We begin to become a bit like the Lord, and there is nothing greater a person can become. Loving brings deep peace and joy and happiness and satisfaction. 

God is love. Love is our destiny. It’s worth every ounce of suffering and cost. So as a dear friend told us over 20 years ago as he was finishing his mission on earth….”Smile & Love”. Let’s pay the price of loving….let’s pay the price with joy in our heart and a smile on our face. And that will be very good news.

P.S. I’m happy to say that the daughter mentioned above has many siblings and a mother and friends who are also men and women of great love. Many of you reading this BLOG are included in this great company….and that’s more good news.