What is your relationship with God worth to you?

As I was reading through the book of James for a study I’m in right now, I misread James 4:4, which says, “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?”  But as I read this quickly, I thought it said, 

“Do you not know that friendship with God is worth enmity with the world?”

Wow.  While the true passage is absolutely correct, and makes significantly more sense in the context of the chapter than what I read, that rhetorical question God put into my head stopped me dead in my tracks.  I have been a Christian for more than fifteen years, and something I still struggle with daily is seeking approval from those around me, those I can physically see and hear and interact with, rather than God.  But I say (and believe) that my relationship with God is the most important thing in my life.  And through this simple misreading of scripture God again forced me to recall the fact that my relationship with him is worth more than the approval of the world.  I can practically hear His voice breaking as he asks me, “Don’t you know?  How do you not understand?  I am worth more than anything the world can offer you.  I want to give you so much more.”

To be a friend of God’s is worth (and will cost) the enmity of the world.  Yes, it is part of my duty as a Christian to, “as much as it depends on [me], live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18).  But this incredible, precious, amazing opportunity I have been granted?  The chance to have an intimate relationship with the creator of the universe who gave up his own life for mine?  That is worth far more than the approval of those around me.  It is worth more than the temporary satisfaction I receive when I complain at work and my coworkers agree with me.  It is worth more than the misplaced pride I feel when I listen to gossip about how someone did not do their job well and I think, “I would never do that.”  It is worth more than giving into the temptation to be cynical, or abrasive, or argumentative about the myriad of issues facing our broken world today.  It is worth more than all the worst and all the best that this world can offer me.  It is worth more, because He is worth more.  I do not deserve this God of mine, this friend of mine, but I am so grateful for Him.  To me, His friendship is worth enmity with the world.

What is it worth to you?