I stopped by a Starbucks late last night, on the way home from a Christmas party. It was mostly on a whim. I was too tired to drink coffee but I was sort of hoping that I'd find someone there that I knew. Happily, I was rewarded to find three friends of like minds and spirits. During one point in my conversation with them, we got on the subject of gift giving. I jokingly fended off a small impromptu gift by saying, "Oh no thank you, I'm not worthy of such a present." I didn't really mean that the value of a nice pen surpassed my own human dignity but I simply had no use for such a fine writing utensil. My friend responded by saying, "Well of course you're worthy! You were worth enough for Jesus to die for you so you're worth enough for me to give you this pen!"

Now, we were just having a good time, enjoying some early morning fellowship. I doubt anyone in the room at the that time had the sharp clarity of mind needed to discern all the theological nuances that weave themselves into conversations between human beings. My friend was merely being kind and he is impressively humble. But driving home, my mind got the better of me and I began to think about what he said. Was I really worth it for Jesus to die for me? I did a mental run through of my resumé. Average height. Average build. Lives below the poverty line. Needs eye correction to legally drive. Doesn't even have a dog.


On oh so many levels, I am nothing to brag about. This is no nose dive at my own self-esteem or sense of important. But really, I can't think of anything in myself that the God of the universe would count as "worthy". Any resemblance of charity or goodness that I can find in myself is infinitely magnified and multiplied in His own excellent character. Stand us both in front of the same mirror and only He will be found to lack nothing. So, I started thinking about God's motivation for choosing me, for loving me and for dying for me.

It's always best to go to the Scriptures. When we look at Ephesians 5:25-33, we see Paul is telling husbands to love their wives like Christ loved the church. Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Church goers are told this beginning in Sunday school. But what we are rarely told is why Christ really died for us. If anything, we're told that He died for us because He loved us enough to die for us. We're taught that we are the reward for His death. He died and it's because I'm so incredibly worthy that He died. Right? But Paul says that I am for Him. I, with the rest of the church universal, am to be presented to Him in splendor. Peter says the same in 1 Pet.3:18, that Christ died for the purpose of bringing us to Him.

The goal of salvation, ultimately, has never been man's good. The goal of salvation has always God's glory.