The Worth of an Individual
As an individual human being, what are you worth? How do you determine that? What is the measurement of the worth of an individual?
One way we measure our worth is by our position in relationship to other human beings. We use titles to identify who we are and our position. Titles are used to designate gender (Mr., Miss), marital status (Ms., Mrs.), and position (director, manager). Titles that designate position are used to evaluate worth.
Some position titles designate function (counselor, teacher) and others designate authority (CEO, executive director). Large organizations have levels of authority and responsibility (President, Vice-President, etc.). Employees are well aware that some people are “above” and others are “below” in the organization. Companies use organizational, line or staff charts to show who is on top of whom. Unfortunately, titles and charts have value attached to them. The higher up on the chart, the more “value” a person has. This tends to diminish the worth of individuals at the bottom of the chart. The president is said to be more valuable than the janitor.
Another way to measure our worth is by our position in relationship to God. Human beings are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). That gives humans immeasurable worth. Individual worth is intrinsic to being human. It cannot be taken away “when the blossom of youth fades, when economic conditions leave us desolate, when sickness or handicaps befall us, or when prominence and visibility are obscured” (Joanne B. Doxey).
People have different roles, even in the church. That does not make one individual more valuable than another. After discussing diversity of function (1 Cor. 12:4-11), Paul uses the body to illustrate that all members of the body are important, necessary, and honorable (1 Cor. 12:13-26). In fact, he argues that when it comes to the human body, we bestow the greater honor on the parts we think are less honorable (1 Cor. 12:23).
Granted, people play different roles in an organization, but they all have the same worth before God. The corporate line/staff chart shows that some are above others, implying that some are more valuable than others. It has been suggested that the organizational chart should be turned on its side. Those “on top” are really those who are out in front, leading. Such a maneuver visualizes the way people play different roles in an organization, but one person is not above anyone else, which implies one is more valuable than another. This is not to deny some have authority or that those with more responsibility should not be paid more.
From a business perspective, perhaps some individuals are more valuable than others in an organization in the sense that they bring in more money, but from a biblical point of view, the model is not business; it is a body.
You, my friend, have enormous worth because you are made in the image of God.
© G. Michael Cocoris, 4/30/2012
One way we measure our worth is by our position in relationship to other human beings. We use titles to identify who we are and our position. Titles are used to designate gender (Mr., Miss), marital status (Ms., Mrs.), and position (director, manager). Titles that designate position are used to evaluate worth.
Some position titles designate function (counselor, teacher) and others designate authority (CEO, executive director). Large organizations have levels of authority and responsibility (President, Vice-President, etc.). Employees are well aware that some people are “above” and others are “below” in the organization. Companies use organizational, line or staff charts to show who is on top of whom. Unfortunately, titles and charts have value attached to them. The higher up on the chart, the more “value” a person has. This tends to diminish the worth of individuals at the bottom of the chart. The president is said to be more valuable than the janitor.
Another way to measure our worth is by our position in relationship to God. Human beings are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). That gives humans immeasurable worth. Individual worth is intrinsic to being human. It cannot be taken away “when the blossom of youth fades, when economic conditions leave us desolate, when sickness or handicaps befall us, or when prominence and visibility are obscured” (Joanne B. Doxey).
People have different roles, even in the church. That does not make one individual more valuable than another. After discussing diversity of function (1 Cor. 12:4-11), Paul uses the body to illustrate that all members of the body are important, necessary, and honorable (1 Cor. 12:13-26). In fact, he argues that when it comes to the human body, we bestow the greater honor on the parts we think are less honorable (1 Cor. 12:23).
Granted, people play different roles in an organization, but they all have the same worth before God. The corporate line/staff chart shows that some are above others, implying that some are more valuable than others. It has been suggested that the organizational chart should be turned on its side. Those “on top” are really those who are out in front, leading. Such a maneuver visualizes the way people play different roles in an organization, but one person is not above anyone else, which implies one is more valuable than another. This is not to deny some have authority or that those with more responsibility should not be paid more.
From a business perspective, perhaps some individuals are more valuable than others in an organization in the sense that they bring in more money, but from a biblical point of view, the model is not business; it is a body.
You, my friend, have enormous worth because you are made in the image of God.
© G. Michael Cocoris, 4/30/2012
