Slave LivingIsampula

FREEDOM TO BE VALUABLE

The idea of buying a whole person seems a bit far-fetched in today’s context, but that was the norm in the era of slavery. A slave’s life was worth a specific amount of money. And as we still know today, the value of anything with a price tag is directly related to the amount on the tag.

In Exodus 21, we find instructions on how people were to manage freak accidents where aggressive oxen gored people to death. The owner of the ox was liable for some monetary compensation to the family if they were willing to accept any(v. 30). If they were not, the owner was put to death since the price charged for the loss of life was another life. But in the case of a slave, his or her life’s worth was calculated at a flat rate. “But if the ox gores a slave, either male or female, the animal’s owner must pay the slave’s owner thirty silver coins, and the ox must be stoned” (v. 32, NLT).

In Hagar’s case, it meant that her life was not worth a cent (Exodus 21:7-8). While she was technically still the property of Abraham, I can’t imagine anybody offering compensation to her family if she died in the wilderness. In that era of slavery, Hagar’s life had no value.

To me, this aspect is the most heartbreaking part of slavery to sin. Without freedom in Christ, our lives have no value. When earthly masters eventually kill our souls, there is no compensation for our lives. Everything we give up to remain in slavery will have no value at all. “Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living” (Romans 6:16, NLT).

Thank God for giving us value by making the amount on our price tag unaffordable! The only price worthy of our souls was the life of His own Son. “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the spotless Lamb of God” (1 Peter 1:18-19, NLT).

Do you feel like your life has no value? What would your life be worth if you had to lose everything else today?

Let us grab onto the freedom of Christ with both hands today. And let us celebrate our freedom by leaving our slave lives behind for good! “And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ. God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world” (1 Corinthians 7:22-23, NLT).