Daily Devotions
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 1 Timothy 6:10
On any number of levels, Grigoriy Perelman, a resident of St. Petersburg, Russia, is a most unusual fellow.
• Perelman is unusual because he seems unconcerned about being a 43-year-old unemployed bachelor living with his elderly mother.
• Perelman is unusual because he is a genius at mathematics, having proven the Poincare conjecture. (Now if you’re wondering what the Poincare conjecture is, I’m not going to tell you. I’m not going to tell you because I don’t understand the Poincare conjecture.)
• Perelman is unusual because, having proven the Poincare conjecture, he has won the $1 million Millennium Prize awarded by Clay Mathematics Institute of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• Perelman is unusual because he’s not sure he wants the money. He’s afraid the cash will make him into a public spectacle, like “an animal in the zoo.”
Perelman is unusual because he has a different set of values than most of us.
I hope you know another Person who had a different set of values than the rest of humanity. Of course, you know I’m talking about the Savior. Consider what Jesus did so you might be saved.
• He left the glories of heaven to walk a dusty, dirty world.
• Although He owns all that is, He was born in a filthy stable.
• His ministry was conducted in poverty so all who believe might be made rich spiritually.
• He sacrificed His innocent life so our guilty lives might be transformed and we might be given help.
Truly, Jesus had a different set of values — and I thank God He did.
The Savior’s life, His suffering, His sacrifice, His death, and His resurrection have solved our greatest problem — how sinful humankind might be reconciled with God.
It was work that never won Him a million dollars, but it most certainly ought to win Him our undying gratitude.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I give thanks You have done that which I could not do. For Your selfless life, Your innocent death, and Your glorious resurrection may I be eternally grateful. In Your Name. Amen.