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Human life has greatest value
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In the past five years I have had to cut down six trees on my property. For one reason or the other they had all died. I’ve been able to get five of them down without incident. But one was a problem.
About four years ago my son and I were felling this tree together. In three directions from the tree were our house, our storage building and our fence. That tree needed to fall in one direction. Unfortunately, that did not happen.
As it became obvious the tree was going where it wanted to go, I told my son to get out of the way. The tree came crashing down on our chain link fence, taking one 6-foot section out. I was frustrated, but my son’s eyes were bugging out. “What are we going to tell Mom?” he asked.
“We’re going to tell her that you’re ok, I’m ok and the house ok. Of all the wrong directions the tree could fall, that was the best way. The fence can be replaced, and it won’t cost that much.”
He was relieved to hear that, but I wasn’t making it up. It was true.
The fact is that human life – and especially the life of a one’s son – is of greater value than anything we may own. How easy that it is to forget.
I once had a neighbor who would not allow his children, ages 4, 7 and 10, to play on his lawn. He had the best looking lawn in the neighborhood. But his children had to play in the cul-de-sac. I always thought there was something backwards about that.
We all know of times when we have forgotten the value of human life. A number of years ago, that same son called to tell me he had been in a car accident. Do you know the first question I asked him? “Was it your fault?” Not, “is anybody hurt?” Not, “are you ok?”
No. The first words out of my mouth were, “Was it your fault?” To this day I am ashamed and embarrassed. In the moment, I was worried that my insurance might go up.
When God looks at you and me, he says, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” He has the very hairs of our head numbered. We are precious in his sight.
We need to remember that fact, and then remember that all human beings are of greater value than any of the things that we may possess.
God has called us to love him and then to love others. I pray that we will do just that.

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