We are a society that publicly praises the importance of equality and care for humanity. We say peace and love are most essential. We plaster all over the news the fact that everyone should feel just as important as everyone else. Politicians, musicians, athletes, and even my friends on Facebook are preachers of this new gospel. Religious groups, especially Christians in America, get pegged with claims of hypocrisy left and right. Sure, I'm not perfect, and neither is anyone else out there. But we understand the ideal for which we strive, and though some days are harder than others, and for some of us, we can't overcome our most tempting sins, that doesn't mean we don't try to live our lives the way we know we should. If you want to call me a hypocrite, let's talk about hypocrisy.

You go out to the bar or the club, your choice. There, you meet a male or a female, whatever your preference, that you seem to like. At this point, you maybe know one thing about this person other than the fact that they're attractive. Yet, you've made up your mind that you want to leave with them tonight. Maybe it all works out, and you do. For the night, you feel great about yourself, and you make him or her feel important for a moment. But you don't want the responsibility. You have no interest in remembering. You don't care who that person is, truly. There is so much to them that you will never care for. You've only cared for what they gave you that night. To you, they aren't important. You're the one that's important, and they are the means by which you've built this false sense of meaning. The next day, you'll realize what you've done, push it aside and ignore it, try to act as though you've done no wrong. But you know, all you've done is muddled their self-confidence, made them feel worthless -- one of many to make them feel worthless. And what have you gained? A minute of satisfaction that turns into regret? You've gained nothing and only made it clear that you don't truly care for the well-being of anyone but yourself, even though you ultimately respect yourself less now than before. Yesterday, you were talking about loving everyone, caring for humanity, the value of human life. Today you've loved yourself. Today you care not who you've hurt. Today, that human is a used up resource for your own pleasure. Let's talk about hypocrisy.

Now jump into the shoes of the one who's been tricked -- the shoes in which you've been told by countless others that you matter, that you're important, only to be left alone, emotionally drained from what you thought was love for you. That love was for them, not you. The value that you thought you had to them was just a source of temporary joy, into which they tapped and drained all they could. Today, where is your value? Did they take it all? Are you worthless now? NO. You see, what they instilled in you was never true value. You don't matter because anyone says you do. You don't matter because people recognize what you are good at, or because someone gives you a paycheck for it. No one on this Earth can give you value. You already have so much value -- value that none can take, and one that no amount of money or human love could possibly surpass.

You've been wonderfully and fearfully made in the image of God, who has created the fabric of every atom within the expanse of every galaxy -- who has molded each star you see in His hand -- who IS the light that brings life. From the hand of the most incredible creator, you've been provided a priceless, incomprehensible value. In the gifts He's given you, the passions He's given you a desire to pursue, the love for others that He has instilled in you, He sees a precious, unique creation of His own. Just as an artist invests part of himself in each work, God has placed Himself in each of us and in each piece of creation.

The value that you have will never be taken from you. All you have to do is recognize it, and allow that to motivate you. People will continue to try to instill some false value or lack thereof within you. But know that it's all a mirage of value. It looks like it's worth something, and may even feel that way. However, it will never be ultimately worth an ounce of your being. You matter. You are valuable. I'm not the only one that's telling you, either. Listen. God is proclaiming your value to Him every waking moment. He is why you matter.