Daily Devotion for January 24, 2006

Face Value

 

Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.  2 Peter 3:17-18

 

If we take an American five-dollar bill (or any bill for that matter), it tells us on the face of it what denomination it is, and we believe it. If we take it to the store and see something marked five dollars, we know that the five-dollar bill will be accepted toward the cost of it, as five dollars. It will be accepted "at face value".

 

When we take that five dollars to another country, it's another story. We first have to convert it to their monetary system, but, in exchanging it to Israeli shekels, for instance, we don't get five dollars American back, we get something like 23 shekels. The face value has changed.

 

Recently, I found myself in the middle of a negative situation because I had taken everything I'd been told "at face value" and I took everyone I had listened to "at face value". Upon looking at it from another side, I realized I was "short-changing" the situation. The whole truth was not being told because what I'd accepted at "face value" was only several people's truth, but not everyone's.

 

I know better. I know that there are always at least two sides to every story and I was upset to realize that I'd allowed myself to be swept into all that negativity. However, I also know that there is something we can take at "face value"; God's love and understanding, His forgiveness and faithfulness. Always and forever.
 
Prayer
We thank you Lord, for your forgiveness in those times when we sometimes sway, those times when we know better, but for some reason we just are led away with even the smallest wickedness of a situation. We thank you for the knowledge you give us to rectify our mistakes with grace. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

 

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Tim Hetzner - President - Lutheran Church Charities
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