FOOD FOR TEENS: VALUE SYSTEMS

 

Dear Teens, I would like to show you something you may have never really taken time to observe, yet it's the bedrock of prosperity.

In the olden days, before the era of money, a person would go to his farm to harvest their produce then use it as a means of exchange for other food or services, which is usually referred to as the barter system. What they were doing in essence, was exchange of value, in exchange for the value of two tubers of yam, you might receive a bunch of plantain or cassava as the case maybe. The values of these produce were determined by the individuals involved. Whatsoever you exchange a product or service with became the value of that thing. So, a carpenter could agree to receive a bag of rice in exchange for a furniture, it is the value he places on that furniture.

When money was introduced, people began to forget that money was just the clothes value had to put on so that it could be traded globally. Money was never and would never be the main aim of business transactions, it is the value of what money represents that is the main thing. To buy simply means to exchange the value of one thing for another. So when God had to buy mankind back from sin, He reckoned us to be worth the life of His Son Jesus because that is what it would cost to redeem us. 1 Peter 1:18, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, " Now to truly succeed in all you do, learn to trade value and not money, once you begin to see value in everything and everyone, you begin to understand how to get the best from every situation. From activities that are not monetary like putting a smile on someone's face, helping little children cross the road, being there for people when they need you, these activities are really fruits of the Spirit according to Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Every value in the world is encapsulated in the fruits of the Spirit, so if we allow the Holy Ghost to inspire our every actions, we would always be offerings value to every one  for His name sake, and this is the Kingdom God wants us to seek first.

In this law of trading values, you must give more than it's expected, for instance you work for a company that pays One hundred thousand monthly, you must try to give value worth two hundred thousand, someone give you something of value, you must look for avenue to give them more value, if you don't know how, pray for them more than they could have imagined and mean it. No wonder Jesus said in Matthew 5:41-42, "And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ecclesiastes 9:10, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." Genesis 8:22, "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." 

In this law God wasn't referring to money when He talked about seed but value, the seed you sow in the lives of people. Do you know why it's so powerful when you give value to God? No man can outdo God in the barter system. God decides the reward system by Himself in His sovereignty, that was why when Solomon asked for wisdom to judge His people, God gave Him wisdom and riches. There was no one who gave something to Jesus, that Jesus didn't give back more in value, for instance the young lad who released his  loaves of bread and two fishes received twelve baskets extra, the woman with the alabaster box, Jesus gave her fame, He said wherever the gospel would be preached, she will be remembered. Learn to outdo any favour you receive, don't be a fan of free stuff, always look for a way to give back. No wonder David said he will not offer unto God something that is without value, because God always multiply whatever you give. Psalm 75:6-7, "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.  But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." You see that God is the Judge, He weighs the value you bring into anything and He knows who's deserving of promotion and who's deserving of demotion because He's a Just God.

So for every value you give, this scripture must be fulfilled; Luke 6:38, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." Live to give extra value to everyone and everything put in your hands, the end result will always be great riches for this is the law of prosperity, everyone who has added great value to mankind has always prospered, live to impart value for Christ's sake and watch your life move from one level to another. God bless you, see you next month.