One of the seven billion: does your life really matter?

Although it is much less than the current trillion dollar debt of the United States, seven billion is still a large number that is difficult to understand. You’ve probably read or heard that the world’s population passed the 7 billion mark last week. As only one of this huge horde, does any individual life really have meaning?

The seven billion people have several things in common as part of the human family. They were all created in the image of God. This means that each person of the seven billion reflects in himself the attributes of God such as reason, creativity and love. Theologians call these and other qualities communicable attributes of God, qualities of people that correspond to the qualities of God (there are also incommunicable attributes, qualities that are true only of God, such as being eternal and self-existent). Although clouded by sin, this image remains present in people and gives inherent value to each person, as well as allowing each one to reflect the character of God. [See Genesis 1:26-27].

All are also recipients of God’s general revelation. God’s truth about himself in creation is evident to all, although some repress that truth and reject the Lord of creation. [See Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:18-23].

Finally, all experience the blessings of God’s common grace. In Matthew 5:45 Jesus says: Your Father makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and makes it rain on the just and the unjust. All people receive these gifts of grace from the hand of God.

However, beyond the things that all human people have in common, tie those things that begin to separate you from all other people. It is a combination of things that begin to narrow the field of people of whom these things are true until we get to you.

First is your temper. Although many other people have the same temperament as you, this is not true for everyone. Your temperament identifies tendencies about your personality that determine how you will tend to be or act in various situations. This separates you from most people.

Second, there are your particular strengths and weaknesses. The collection of things you do very well and things you don’t do also further reduces the number of people who are like you. Weaving your temperament with your strengths and weaknesses results in things that are unique to you. However, there are other areas that define these unique things even more.

Third, there are your passions, those things that concern you deeply and to which you gladly dedicate your time and energy. I remember a situation where an older woman in a church rebuked her pastors (of which I was one) in front of the rest of the congregation for their lack of emphasis and commitment to missions. I don’t think he was being intentionally unpleasant; he was expressing his passion for missions. While one might question his touch, his passion was unquestionable. You can probably identify passions in your life. These add to its uniqueness.

Lastly, there are your gifts or spiritual gifts. Every Christian has at least one spiritual gift, an attribute or ability initiated by grace and empowered by the Spirit, which enables them to participate effectively in the work of the kingdom of Christ in this world. Your gifts may be gifts of speaking or gifts of service, but each allows you to fulfill your kingdom assignment and thus bring glory to Jesus. [I Corinthians 12].

Your temperament, strengths and weaknesses, passion and spiritual gifts work together to make you a one-of-a-kind person, a unique human person in God’s world.

While all of this is true, there are other deeper things that point to the fact that you are a unique individual. Consider these things:

Jesus knows you personally and calls you by name (John 10: 4, 27)

He has planned a future and a hope for you (Jeremiah 29:11)

He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13: 5)

This is the one thing above all else that makes your life matter in the midst of seven billion people: the Lord knows who you are. Your knowledge and love for you as an individual person and your foster child should bring you encouragement and joy. Your life matters!

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