TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE

DEVOTIONAL

by Elder Chris Beltran

In department stores and supermarkets, shoplifting is one of the major concerns. If you think shoplifting is bad enough, continue reading the story below.

Intruders have broken into a department store at midnight. They stayed long enough to do what they came to do. They escaped unnoticed, but strangely, those intruders took nothing—no merchandise was stolen, and no items were removed. It seemed like everything was in place.

The department store opened, and customers came to the shop. Everything was normal for several hours until someone noticed the different price tags; they were swapped! The 500 price tag from a milk carton was placed on the television; the 20,000 price tag of the TV was placed on the electric fan. The value of numerous items was exchanged. Instead of stealing, the intruders changed the price of everything.

Some cashiers felt strange when a microwave oven was sold for only 300. They didn’t care to ask until it was too late. It took them a long time to notice that something was wrong. Some people got excellent bargains, while others were overpriced.

We see the same thing happen every day. The world has distorted our value system. The valuable things in life are considered cheaply, while the inferior stuff goes for millions. We see this when pedophiles molest children, fathers rape their daughters, wives have affairs, men and women commit sex out of wedlock, people change genders based on preference and enter same-sex marriage, politicians accept kickbacks, judges take bribes, and businesses perform illegal transactions: drug trade, prostitution, and more.

“My body, my rights,” some advocate says. This leads to a fetus, as part of the body, being aborted. When abortion was legalized in the US during the 80s, an estimated 1.5 million abortion was done yearly in the said country alone. Imagine if we count China with its one-child policy for its billion population and the rest of the world. The volume of abortions done is staggering! We condemn Hitler, Stalin, Idi Amin, and Pol pot for annihilating millions, yet we approve a law that legalizes killing millions of babies! What are we doing? Why are we doing this?

Our values are messed up. Someone broke into our store and exchanged all the price tags. The cost of enjoying the pleasure of life is at an all-time high. At the same time, the value of human beings is at its lowest, especially when we realize the killings done every day.

Human beings want autonomy in life. People don’t want to be under the morality, values, and principles commanded by our Creator; thus, chaos naturally follows. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, wanted autonomy from God by disobeying His command, causing sin and rebellion to enter the world. There is no understanding of the eternal. Humanism boldly declares that we don’t need God to tell us what to do. We can govern ourselves. Really? Think multiple times with all the chaos happening.

What will happen after life on earth stops? Today, earthly life has become the most important thing. Enjoy your life now, even at the expense of others. We need to realize that our next life is infinitely longer than the one we live in now. Also, there is definitely a Judgment Day coming for everyone. Are we prepared for this eternity?

Stick to the original price and values set by our Creator. His instructions in the Bible, His love letter to us, ask us to stop rebelling and disobeying, thinking that our ways are better. Don’t try to exchange the price tags for what we believe our life should be priced. God is the Creator and owner of everything; only He can decide what is right and wrong. And before we decide to do things without the concern for the eternal, reflect deeply: Is this thing that I’m about to do worth disregarding the eternal?

REFLECTION

We have done many things without thinking of eternal value. The worldly values cloud our judgment. Paul mentioned forgetting the past and moving forward to the goal of finishing the race triumphantly. What counts in a race is not how we start but how we end it.

PRAYER

Lord, help me always remember that we are in the world, but we are not of this world. We are citizens of Your kingdom, and we should act in such a way that represents Your kingdom. Our value system here has been corrupted. Thus, I pray for Your guidance as we preserve and strengthen our lives through Your heavenly wisdom. Please help us refrain from being influenced by the world; instead, help us be a light that reveals the corruption and directs people back to You in Jesus’ name, amen.