WHAT’S A LIFE WORTH?
We have watched over and over the loss of life in mass shootings in schools, workplaces, outdoor venues, and the one by one “legal” assassination of black lives. The debate over gun laws, to own or not to own is the topic the news media, the politicians and pundits want to talk about every time a mass loss of life is reported. The other special topic is mental illness of the person perpetrating the mass murder (if the shooter is not a person of color). *There have been 1624 mass shootings in the USA in 1870 days. Data from the Gun Violence Archive reveals there is a mass shooting – defined as four or more people shot in one incident, not including the shooter – nine out of every 10 days on average. No other developed nation comes close to the rate of US gun violence. Americans own an estimated 265m guns, more than one gun for every adult.* (approximately 30-35% households own guns). What does not get addressed is the value of the lives taken.
The more I listen and watch these horrific events play out before our eyes in real time- I can almost recite the commentary before it begins. The same old talk because in reality too many of the leaders in this country care more about money than people. Can you really put a price on a life? Well in the minds of some, you can-the average cost of owning a gun (bullets, holster, lock, license for a standard handgun bought legally) is approximately $743. If you go high end, high powered then you could pay about $4300-$5000. The cost of raising a child to 18 years of age is somewhere between $233,000 and $260,000 (Jan-March Statistics for just the basics-not all the additional perks-phones, name brand clothes, etc.). Life Insurance policies for children usually pay a benefit on average of $5,000 to $25, 000 for a death benefit (of course it can be higher if a parent is willing to pay more for the policy). Then there’s the cost of treating mental illness: As noted by the APA, the direct cost of treating and supporting mental illness is approximately $55 billion a year. But there are indirect costs to society as well, including the cost of lost employment or decreased productivity, accidents, and social welfare programs, which have been estimated at $273 billion a year. If we listen to the political leadership (GOP) talk about life, then a life is worth anywhere $743 to $5,000-that is people other than themselves!
How can I say such a thing? Hearing between the lines when there is no action coming from our hired help; too busy and too afraid to lose money coming from special interests groups lets me know where their priorities lie. A life is not worth much where a dollar value is set, but there is another side to this and it is the real truth of the value of a human life. Want me to tell you about it?
Life is a gift from God. Man/Woman became a living being by the breath of God (Gen. 2:7), and if God were to withdraw his breath from humans, we would perish (Job 34:14–15). Since life belongs to God, we do not have absolute autonomy over our own lives but are stewards of the life given to us by God. Our lives and others’ are to be cherished and guarded. Our lives are of such value that “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Life is sacred to God and He took great pain so we could live. The life of Christ was not just a good history lesson but a pattern for us-Jesus had compassion not only for the sick (Matt. 14:14) but also for those with physical, emotional, and spiritual needs (e.g., Matt. 9:36; Mark 8:2; Luke 7:13). Likewise, Paul exhorts believers to “put on . . . compassionate hearts” (Col. 3:12). The disabled and the sick not only suffer from physical pain and discomfort, they are also often troubled emotionally and spiritually. It is therefore vital, for us to provide compassionate care, to both body and soul, to those who are suffering. We are to care for the weak and those who can’t stand up for themselves in order to protect what God has so freely given.
Each life has a story, not just because the news reports it, but because God says so and He is intimately acquainted with each and every one. Let’s look (Psalm 139:1-8): “O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I stand up; you understand my thoughts from far away. You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, LORD. You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me. This behind and before, and lay Your hand upon me. [This] extraordinary knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty; I am unable to [reach] it.”
Note the depth of God’s knowledge of each one of us-individually. Tracking our every move, aware of every breath, every tear, even when we think we are alone. He understands what makes us tick, what we will do next, why we decided to do what we do and the motives behind each action. He knows all our thoughts, actions, fears, joys, dreams, and frustrations. God is very aware what is happening to us, in us, and around us-and He still loves us.
Therefore knowing this, we are to uphold the intrinsic value of life from birth to the grave-because if God thought we were worth dying for- we ought to know He is worth living for. It ought to be our life’s
mission to ensure others know the value God places on a singular life-it cost Him everything-but he thought it worth the price. Jesus died for all, even for those who do not accept His death (1 Tim. 2:6; 1 John 2:2), the life of all human being is precious and priceless. It is the cross, not one’s capacities, usefulness, or maturity that reveals the value of the human soul.
Submitted by: Teresa E. Williams, Director CED