The Value of Life

I recently started a new bible study series. I chose this particular one because it was of a simpler nature and I wanted to keep things light for a while. Each section of this study concerns itself with a theme question. I turned to the first study and the first question that greeted me at the top of the page was;
"What is the meaning of life?" Ok, so much for keeping it light and simple.
A question like that demands a lot of study and thought, and I would like to share a little of what God showed me during that process.
As I read the question and began to let it rattle around in my head a little, I found myself gravitating away from the meaning of life and focusing more on the value of life. It is an equally perplexing question, but through reading scripture I think I have come to the point where I believe I have a better grasp of it..
The Genesis account in chapters one and two give us all the evidence we need to see how valuable life is. Human life is created by God. It can never be accomplished any other way. These scientists who are trying to create life in the lab will fail, every time. The best they will ever be able to do is make an imperfect copy of what God has already created.
Life itself, being created by God, carries with it immeasurable value. I will try to illustrate that with a somewhat lopsided analogy.
Many years ago when my sons were very young, I remember an incident involving spilled milk. Our family was at the supper table when, as youngsters are prone to do, my son knocked over his glass of milk, covering most of the table as well as his food. I saw what happened and it was clearly an accident, so even though I was annoyed at having to clean it up, I didn't get upset. After it was all cleaned up, and my wife had replaced his food and his glass of milk, we settled back in to finish our meal.
Then it happened.
Looking me right in the eye, with a smile on his face, my son picked up his new glass of milk and proceeded to dump it out on the table as well! On purpose! This time I was way past annoyed, and far beyond upset. I was furious! Why? Because it was done on purpose! Because it was intentional! I reacted much more intensely, not because the mess was any larger or anything like that. I had a much stronger response because he did it on purpose.
God created life on purpose. It wasn't an accident or evolution. Life is a miracle that only God can perform, and because of that, it is the most valuable thing in all of God's creation. It's important to note here that when God created everything, he spoke it all into existence…except us. He used his hands to form Adam from the dirt and dust and then used his hands to remove a rib from Adam to create Eve. We have so much value to God that he was willing to get his hands dirty, some dirt under his fingernails to create us in a way that was special from everything else. That's love my friend, that's value.
I firmly believe that we as a society don't place enough value on human life. ( Here is where I might lose some readers, but sometimes that happens when you proclaim the truth.) I believe that people who are pro-abortion, pro-euthanasia, or believe that life is just an accident or some kind of evolutionary fluke, don't place the same value on human life that Christ followers do. I know it's hard to hear that, and its even harder to admit. But it's true. Just watch the news for any length of time and you will know I'm right.
I'll follow up that statement with an admission of my own. I never had much respect for Michael Jackson or Ted Kennedy. Their deeds and their ideology were pretty much the opposite of mine. They are both gone now, and to be honest I struggled to be sad about that. But if I truly believe what I just wrote, then I need to mourn the loss of two lives that in God's eyes had great value.
How much value do have for human life? Process that as you read the Creation account. I heartily recommend it.
This is going to be a real long and intense bible study if it leads me to places like this every day. But in the long run I know I will be a better person for it.

It will be like Red Bull For The Soul!