Here’s my notes on some of the input from Rick Murrill – a great speaker I shared slots at a men’s event with last week. Man went to a men’s conference, heard that he was head of the house. Went home and told his wife. And after that he never saw her for 2 days.

Then… the left eye opened up a little bit.

What’s different about humans? Why are we different to chimps and gorillas? Is it just because we’re tool users? (Lots of men aren’t!). Actually some monkeys have done that. Burying our dead, and Fire are distinctive to humans. But none of that tells us what’s different. Gen 1 tells me twice – I’m ‘made in his image.’

 

That shows us… We’re CREATIVE – because he’s a Creator. Look at all that’s being built. And if there’s a Creator, I’m created as something – not just ‘by chance.’ We’re EMOTIONAL – because God expresses emotions. We’re FORGIVING – because God is a forgiver (no animal does that). These attributes of God are found in humanity. This didn’t just happen. But what actually makes us human? Gen 2;15 – God gave humanity a purpose, to serve the Creator. That’s unique to humanity too, though animals can serve. Jesus said the Greatest commandment is LOVE Mt 22, to God and our neighbour. When Jesus was asked,‘Who is my neighbour?’ He told them about a Samaritan. These are the things that make us unique.

We are his friends, if we love one another. Paul said he was a bondservant. Understanding that you’re a servant will release an understanding of the calling of God in your life. Human ambition = serve myself. That takes the call and brings it back to yourself. Seeking fame, becoming rich maybe- and empty. It will work against you in the end. People end up living a life of suicide. Someone who walks away from Christ, with a great call from God – but it ends up distorting. Cf Whitney Houston. Lived suicidally a long time. Despair because of a loss of value of a human life. Slavers used to value it on the amount of work they could get out of them. People today live as slaves in various ways.

Today we value a person on how much they can contribute to society. That’s not biblical. To base it on a bigger car or house. What do I put the value of my life on? The Bible teaches Ex 21, Mt 19, that we’re valuable from conception. More valuable than sparrows. More valuable than cats! Rom 5:8 – God shows our value here. Christ died for his most valued creation. US! So what is a human? It’s our incomprehensible value to God. We are valuable to God not because we’re better than anyone else. But when we understand how valuable to God, then we know the value of others and can love them (as we love ourselves).

John 13:37 People know HIM, if we love. That’s how we exalt Jesus. Know the value of your worth in Christ. If you don’t know that, you are going to express that. If we understand how valuable humanity is, we will value people.

Rick watched a documentary where an actor dressed like a homeless street person was rolling around and looking like they were in pain. People walked past. Nobody stopped. The same person next day was dressed in a suit, with a briefcase. Did the same. Everyone stopped. How do we value people?