How Values Overlap
“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well." Psalm 139: 13-14
The way God created you is wonderful. You are wonderful and exceedingly complex!
For example: You are one person. But you are really more complicated and more precious than you think. You are a spirit, a soul in a body; yet both body and soul are equally, intricately created.
Your soul is a composite of your mind, will and emotions. Your mind is a meld of your memory, intellect and imagination. Meanwhile, your body is a marvelous and harmonious overlap—of respiratory, digestive and circulatory systems. You may have a single blood type, yet your blood is composed of red cells, white cells and platelets.
Nature itself is also a series of overlaps. We see ecosystems overlapping with one another to form a complimentary and balanced whole.
The principle that applies to our souls, bodies and nature is also true of the things we value. They naturally overlap. And as each value overlaps with the other, they create even greater values together.
Overlapping Values
In my previous articles, we have seen Jesus’ list of values. The list also revealed a hierarchy of values , where the top three values are:
1. God
Definitely the Highest Value; the One who is infinitely most valuable. Isn’t it interesting that God Himself is an overlap of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
2. Life (from the Greek word “Psuche”, that which has breath)
Our relationships are valuable. When your house is on fire, your first concerns are lives! Both yours and the ones you love. They take preeminence over any material possession.
3. Body (from the Greek word “Soma”, our physique)
Our physical health, safety and well-being are all valuable. Our body doesn’t have any spare parts lying around. When choosing between our health or money, food, and clothes, it is obvious which one has the greater value.
How These 3 Value Overlap and Interact:
Although God is of the highest value, this value interacts and works alongside the values of life and body.
Here’s what happens when one is missing from the equation:
Life + Body – God = Empty Life
We may busy ourselves with earthly relationships and building the buffest body, but without God, we are living a meaningless, empty life.
God + Life – Body = Unhealthy Life
If we have God and relationships but neglect/abuse our body’s health, our relationship with God and others will inevitably suffer.
A life without a body means you’re a ghost!
God + Body – Life = Dead/Corpse
If we have a body but don’t have life, then we are dead. Our body without life is a wineskin without wine, a light bulb with no electricity. It is form without power.
And if we live a life without God, we are unblessed. Cursed. Lost and left to fend for ourselves. The truth is that it is God who upholds our life for He is life.
The Other Overlaps
In the same article, I wrote the second set of values, namely:
Money
The currencies and instruments we use to exchange values. Jesus never said money is not valuable; he just made the point that it only comes fourth in the hierarchy.
Food
That which we imbibe or “eat daily” to fill us up. These are the things we enjoy, crave for; the things that comfort and fulfill us such as restaurants, sports, movies, videos games, travel, etc. Yes, they have value, but they are only fifth in the list.
Clothes
These are material possessions.
Like the first set of values, money, food, and clothes also overlap. Again, Jesus never said that these three were not valuable; on the contrary, he said he had every intention to add all these things to us as well. His concern was really that we should know which of these were most valuable in His Kingdom and therefore be prioritized (Matthew 6:33).
Because if we get these priorities right, the Bible assures us that all these things will work together for our good and for the very purpose of their creation (Romans 8:28).
The result of this is a life of overlapping yet coordinated values, founded on God and translated into the other aspects of one’s life.
To be continued next week.
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