Victory Leaders band

 "Self - Worth"

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   The current market value of gold is about $50/gram. One gram is equivalent in weight to one small paper clip. That is a significant amount of value when you compare it to the weight; more valuable in fact than most anything else we own including expensive electronics
or cars. Diamonds are significantly more valuable than gold, at $55,000/gram. That is an average number to represent average quality diamonds, with higher quality gems being sold for even higher prices. Just for reference, most small diamonds that you might see on jewelry only weigh 0.2 grams, so it would take 5 of those small diamonds to be worth the number above.

The rarest element on earth sells for $25,000,000/gram. It is so valuable and so difficult to produce that only half an ounce of it is made every year.

 

Value is a concept that we take for granted in most areas, but in its most basic sense, an item's value is determined by what someone is willing to pay for it. We can see this concept in effect in the used marketplace. A person selling a used car; or even smaller items such as clothing or toys will generally be asking for a specific price. That price represents the value that is placed in those items by the person selling them. Those items represent some sort of usefulness to the seller, and so they want to receive an amount of money that is worth it for them to not have that item anymore. As much as they may hold to that price however, in the
end, whatever they are selling is only going to be as valuable as what the buyer gives them.

Recently, I have been trying to sell a used motorcycle. The price that I asked for it is based on how much money I spent on it, as well as any investment that I may have put towards it such as work or parts. That is what I feel like the motorcycle is worth, but nobody is willing to pay that
price for it. In actuality, it will only be as valuable as what someone will pay for it.

That is an example of how value can change with time, and between different people.

We see value change all the time though. Gas prices go up and down as the price of oil changes. Food prices vary in different areas of the country, based on location to different farms or suppliers. When we consider our souls though, the value that God places in us never changes.

  "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Peter 1:18, 19
 

  Jesus Christ purchased our souls with his own blood. If the value of something is determined by how much someone paid for it, then surely our souls are the most valuable things on earth. The blood of Jesus cannot have a price put upon it. It is at once both physical and spiritual. It is infinite even though we cannot see it, and it saves us from our sins, heals us of our infirmities and allows us fellowship with God. Jesus looked past our outward appearance and condition straight into our souls and was willing to give his life so that we have the chance to live.

 

  "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." Psalm 139:14

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  We are not accidents, or some randomly created being. God had his hand on us before we were ever born and created us in His image, so we have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about with our physical form. However, Jesus blood was used to buy our souls, not our bodies. When the devil comes to us and tries to tell the lie that we aren't special
because of how we think we look, that other people don't like us, that we're alone and no one cares about us, all we have to do is remember what we were worth to Jesus. We have to find the basis of our self-worth in Jesus and the love that He has for us, not in anything earthly.

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  Brother Nathan Smith

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  3/19/2020

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