What is your life worth to you?

      Every person desires to have value, worth, purpose, etc. I think we can agree that all people are born with intrinsic value (even if we may not live like everyone has value, if you know what I mean). There is a longing in everyone's heart to be counted worthy and not disregarded, yet what if you were told that your life was worth nothing? Not that you mean nothing, but that what you are placing your worth in means absolutely nothing? Your job is not your life, your money is not your life, your stuff is not your life; none of those things bring worth to your life. 
     Paul in the Bible understood this so well. Now that I have got you all confused and probably upset with me because I have told you that you have misplaced priorities and desires, I want us to look at Acts 20:24, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace." Paul is writing this in the context of leaving behind beloved brothers and sisters at the church in Ephesus on his way to Jerusalem where he knows that he will probably die. He is writing this knowing that he has been faithful to what God has called him to and now he must finish the race and complete the task. 
      Paul is able to count his life as nothing of value to him lest he share the gospel, can you do this? I think there are many times when I could not say this with a clean conscience. Do you count your life as nothing of value to yourself lest you finish the race and complete the task of sharing the gospel with the world? My heart is convicted as I read this passage, that I would be able to say, just as Paul, that I consider my life worth nothing to me because my only aim is to finish the race and testify of the good news of God's grace! It was once asked, what is the highest and chief end of man and the answer was to glorify God and fully delight in him. Paul understood this, that the chief purpose of his life is to proclaim the gospel and love people as Jesus did. 
     Jesus says that if one is not willing to leave brother and sister, father and mother, wealth and home, then he is not worthy to follow him. Jesus does not want a quarter of you or even half of you, he wants your whole heart! So I ask you, what is your life worth to you? Is worth giving away for the sake of the gospel and saying yes Lord I will testify to the good news of your grace or are you content with what this world has given you? Paul states, "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom  will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God." This is the proclamation of a life time, Paul is able to say he could stand before God knowing he has given his life for the gospel.