Bicycle.

I gotta tell ya, I really love my bicycle.  I have two actually.  One, I bought new, ten or twelve years ago, it's a Raleigh comfort bike.  You know, the one you see the older guys cruising on, but a little sporty.  It's really nice. I spent more than I thought I would ever spend.  Nothing real crazy, but I went into a real bike shop instead of Target, got fitted and the whole deal.  But that's not the bike I'm talking about.  A few years ago I found a bike in the dumpster behind our house.  I was walking down the alley and saw it sticking out.  I walked by.  Then I slowly turned around and walked back to the dumpster.  I peak over the edge: trigger shifters, disc brakes...it's a Marin...nice.  So I pulled it out.  It was pretty beat up.  It has a big dent in the frame, the wheel was detached and there was still a U Lock on it.  "Crap." I thought.  It's probably stolen.  And if it's stolen, I'm going to have to find the owner.  But still I was excited.  So I carried it to the garage, took some pictures and copied the serial number down.  There wasn't much I could do with it until I got that lock off.  So I headed to Facebook, found a few bike groups in the area and posted to see if anyone was missing a bike.  I also called a couple local bike shops to see if they could track down the owner.  It had a sticker for a local shop, but they could not locate the records.  This bike was about 10 years old.  I even went on to a nationwide bike data base.  I looked up the price of this bike new and it was enough that someone would report it, about $700.  After a week or so of earnest detective work, I could not find a lead on the owner.  So i thought that I'd see if I could get the bike in working order and then if I found the owner, they'd be super stoked!  I spent several hours of embarrassing efforts to get the lock off with various tools and potions.  I will spare you the details.  But then it took all of two minutes once I got my neighbors angle grinder.  I really didn't need much to get the bike back together.  I ordered a pin for the front wheel and watched a few videos on adjusting the cables.  I tweaked the disc brakes and it was ready.  I also gave it a thorough cleaning.  It didn't look new, but it did look great...Badass actually.  

The Raleigh bike was meant as a transition to old age.  I had some back issues, so I didn't want a bike that was gonna hurt.  But even though this Marin had no shocks and a hard seat, it felt good immediately.  The set up of the bike was a lot more aggressive than my Raleigh.  The Raleigh was meant to be ridden upright.  This Marin was a lot leaner, a lot lighter and a lot faster.  I had a route that I took my Raleigh on, down Tower Grove Avenue to Forest Park, around the Park and back.  It' about 12 miles.  A decent ride.  When I took the Marin along this same route it felt like the wind was at my back the whole time.  I was flying up hills that I previously struggled on.  I felt like I could have made the trip twice and not be winded.  I was in love. 

All of that is far more backstory for what I really wanted to talk about.  It's two years later, no owner has shown up.  I've had a few tune ups, replaced a few parts and I still love the bike.  Every time I ride it feels like a gift.  And I love how beat up it looks, haggard like an old quarterback from the 70's.  As I was tinkering with it this evening I thought how bummed I'd be if it got stolen.  True to my pessimistic nature I was preparing myself for the inevitable day when I'd lose this gift and of course the Raleigh as well.  The Raleigh's been neglected, but I still love her too.  Then in pragmatic fashion I began to wonder what Insurance would cover.  As I considered the free gift, the depreciation of the bike, I also considered the replacement value.  Items like this have two values:  what they are worth if you are selling and then what they are worth if you had to replace it.  (Matt my insurance guy, you'll have to let me know what my coverage is.)  There's also sentimental value, but we won't get into that.  The Depreciated value of the bike is not good.  I don't know that anyone would look at the bike and offer more than $50, maybe $75.  But, to get a new bike, the Replacement Value for the same Bike is over $700.  And I was evaluating the difference between the two I had the simple thought.  It's the thought that this whole post is about.  In fact this post could have been two sentences, but I really wanted to talk about my bike.  Here it is: God values us at our Replacement Cost, not our Depreciated Cost.  Each person is in fact priceless, irreplaceable.  If any of us were lost and needed to be replaced, he wouldn't consider what condition we were in or what our depreciated value was.  No, he would flip to the catalog and view the original, mint condition model:  The JC Risen Cross Deluxe.  God values each of us as he does his only Son.  The proof of this is that he gave his most precious son as the Replacement for us, so that we would not be lost.  We may consider that when we were new, newborn, that we left the womb perfect.  Or if not perfect, at least pristine in nature and innocent.  But like a car leaving the dealership, we begin to depreciate right away.  By the time we are 3 or 4 we are well aware of what it means to be selfish and naughty...and good too for that matter.  We know the differnce.  In our more mature state, some of us already think ourselves worthless.  But in Christ we have the fulfilled promise that we are worth more, so much more than we could imagine.  We may have soiled what chances we have been given and left all hope in a dumpster.  But no matter what we have done, when it comes to our value to God, it is Jesus himself that sets the standard.  It is Jesus himself that is our hope.  Can you imagine, that if on your worst day, counting the cost of all the selfish things you have done, all the hidden dark thoughts, can you imagine that in that mood you could somehow hear from God and he said to you "You are more.  You are mine."  If you could start to believe that then you could start to imagine the world changing power of surrendering to Jesus.  It's not about getting more or following rules, it is about realizing your worth.  And that worth comes not through your own efforts, but by knowing who brought you in to existence.  And God so loved you, that he gave his only begotten son, for you, for the world.  I'm not saying that it makes sense.  But I am saying that it is real.  It's better than getting a new bike.  It's getting a new you.  

My friend Justin recently found the exact version of his childhood BMX bike.  He probably paid more than he should have, but it was an easy decision.  He was, and I assume he still is giddy with excitement to have it back in his life.  It was gone.  It is back and it's all the better because a chunk of his childhood, his innocence came back with it (not that he was ever that innocent).  The Replacement cost for him was calculated by more than the actual worth of the bike, but also the rarity, the nostalgia, and time itself was considered.  And really, the value of something is always determined by what someone is willing to pay.  My good, good friends, Our God calculated the Cost to have us back with him... and he gave all.  He gave himself.