Value and Worth
By Ryan Bridgeo
Avery County 
Several years ago my wife and I went to go visit a friend who was really struggling with depression. In fact, he was struggling so much he considered committing suicide. He had a life insurance policy and he thought that he was worth more dead than he was alive. So how is worth determined? And how much are you worth?
In 1996, the Tickle-Me-Elmo doll sold in stores for $28.99. By the time Christmas came, supplies ran out. One parent sold their doll for $7,100. In 2008, the Boston Celtics won the NBA championship and during the celebration, the players dumped Gatorade on their coach Doc Rivers. He later sold that shirt in an auction for $35,000. When Barry Bonds broke the Major League Baseball home run record, his record-setting baseball sold for over $752,000. Leonardo da Vinci painted the famous picture called the Mona Lisa. Approximately 10 million people go to France to see his paintings every year. In 1962, his picture was valued at 100 million dollars. Which today, would be worth more than 830 million dollars.
So how is worth determined? How do people decide what something is worth? For example, I can’t go to my closet, take out a toy, and say that I’m going to sell it for 100,000 dollars. It doesn’t work that way. Worth is not determined by the owner but by the buyer. The owner does not get to determine the value. The buyer determines what something is worth by what they are willing to pay for it. How much the buyer is willing to pay, is determined by how badly they really want it. The more they want it, the more they are willing to spend.
Now let’s think about this from God’s perspective. Romans 7:14 (NIV) says, “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.” We were sold as slaves to sin the moment Adam sinned in the garden. The only way for us to be redeemed back from slavery was for a very costly ransom to be paid. We didn’t have the ability to pay our own ransom. The price was way too high.
Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” A lot of people can say that they love us. But do they show it? Do they demonstrate their love with actions? Well, God did. He proved His love for us by coming to this earth and dying in our place. He proved His love with His actions.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you receive from God? You are not your own 20 you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”
You were bought with a price. Christ paid your ransom. But how much did you cost? 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “For you know that it’s not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ.” You were bought with a price. The price for your freedom was the blood of Jesus himself. You see, you could not redeem yourself. The cost was more than you could afford. The price was too high. It required blood, but your blood was stained by Adam’s sin. The cost for your pardon was the perfect, sinless, spotless blood of Jesus.
You see, you at times might feel like you are unworthy. You, like my friend mentioned above, might not feel like you are worth very much. But you don’t get to determine your value. The buyer determines the value by what He is willing to pay. The more they want something the more they are willing to pay. So, what am I saying? To some, the Tickle-Me-Elmo doll was worth $7,100. To someone else, a stained Gatorade shirt from the NBA Playoffs was worth $35,000. Barry Bonds baseball was worth ¾ of a million dollars. And the Mona Lisa, to someone, is worth more than 830 million dollars.
So how much are you worth to God? Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” To God, you are worth more than many sparrows. You are worth more than anything on this earth. You see the buyer, Jesus, determined your worth and your value by what He was willing to pay for you. What was he willing to pay for you? His own blood. The blood of Christ. You are worth the blood of Jesus Christ.
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Ryan Bridgeo is the Pastor of Plumtree Church in Avery County, NC. If you would like to know more or how you might become involved in this ministry please reach out to Pastor Ryan at pastor@plumtreechurch.com or call 828-765-6919.
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