What Am I Worth

QUESTION: What Am I Worth?

ANSWER:

The U.S. Bureau of Chemistry and Soils has one answer to the question, “what am I worth?” They have determined that the chemical and mineral composition of the human body is worth less than $5.00. Of highest value is the skin. The average person has between 14 to 18 square feet of skin, depending on his size, which is said to be worth about .25 cents a square foot.

Someone may ask, “What am I worth monetarily.” He may spend hours putting together a balance sheet showing his assets minus his liabilities. He may even be proud of himself that he has done well. But that does not answer the question, “What am I worth as a person?” It only answers how much money he is worth.

Then he might ask himself, “What am I worth relationally?” Usually that is a selfish question and can best be answered according to the amount of service rendered. He is valuable to his wife as long as he brings home a good paycheck. She is valuable to her husband as long as she meets his needs. If one partner feels his/her needs aren’t meet, the other partner ceases to have value. He/she is not worth the bother.

There are too many lonely people in nursing homes. No one comes to visit them anymore. Do they have value? Their money is gone. They can no longer contribute to family/society, so they are often forgotten.

The last question to ask is, “What am I worth to God”? A great deal. The Psalmist David said, “When I consider the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor” (Psalms 8:3-5).

Even when mankind messed up and broke that relationship with God, God sought to make things right again with His favorite creation, man. Mankind is so valuable to God that God sent His son, Jesus, to be the way back to God.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).