“Whenever you take a census of the people of Israel, each man who is counted must pay ransom for himself…as a sacred offering to the Lord…When this offering is given to the Lord to purify your lives…the rich must not give more than the specified amount and the poor must not give less. Receive this ransom money from the Israelites, and use it for the care of the Tabernacle.”
Exodus 30:11-16
The world seems to question the sacredness of human life, but God clearly defined that value way back in the wilderness when He introduced this special offering.
Notice EACH man had to take responsibility for themselves. Giving the ransom offering every year not only purified them, but it symbolized their value…sacred and set apart to the LORD. Notice too, each person, rather rich or poor, paid the same amount. In God’s eyes, no one was better than the other…EACH person had equal value!
The use of those ransom offerings is also quite intriguing. Gifts proving the value of human life paid for the maintenance of God’s holy dwelling! Sadly however, hundreds of years later the Israelites neglected to maintain that holiness. By filling the Temple with idols, they pushed God out of His own house!
Jesus marked me with highest value when He paid the ransom to dwell in my heart. It is my responsibility to take care of His house. Sometimes the secret corners of my heart may need to be cleaned, so the clutter doesn’t push God out. Other times my schedule may need to be cleared so I can sit down with Him for dinner.
Whatever it takes, I want to do something today to value the One who values me.
