How does Y+X=X
In honor of back to school season I thought it was about time for me to get back to posting on my blog. So how about we kick off back to school season with an algebra equation of sorts. How can Y+X=X?
This is a question I recently posed to Regenerate Student Ministries on a Tuesday night. In their defense it was the first day back to school after the summer vacation and many of them weren’t back in the thinking mode yet. The only possible answer here is that Y must equal zero.
That means in this equation the only important variable is the X. X is the only thing that brings any value to the equation. If it weren’t for X, the equation would say y=0.
So what in the world does this have to do with me? The truth is that I am Y. Yes you got that right y=Jeff. I am Y because I have absolutely nothing to bring to Jesus that is going to add any value to Him. I have nothing to offer him. The Bible says my righteousness is as filthy rags…..thats pretty harsh but if I am being honest I know its true. Jesus has everything I need, I have nothing that he needs.
This is the gospel. We really don’t have a leg to stand on, we have no bargaining chips, we can’t argue that we deserve Jesus, but he still comes along side and gives us hope and meaning.
Jesus is X. And he offers that to each and every person on the planet. We get to come to him with our nothingness and in return, we have the full value of his worth added. I like this equation. This is good news.
Y=0 and X=Everything. Y is what I have and X is what Jesus offers. Amazing…the only reason this equation is flawed is that truth be known, I bring even less than nothing to Jesus. I bring a negative to him. I bring my selfishness, my pride, my jealousy, and well you get the idea.
The great thing about Jesus is that my negatives don’t affect his positives at all. His love is infinite, his forgiveness limitless, his mercy…well that is new every day. His grace….sufficient to cover me. I love the thought of this equation and every day I am grateful that in my life, whats left after the = sign no longer equals zero but it equals Jesus. In my life its no longer my own abilities to do good, my own abilities to love others, no its now Jesus abilities because he added his value to my life.
“God caused the one who didn’t know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21



