In a society that glamorizes youth and beauty, it is easy for us to feel less valued as we age. As my hairline recedes, my wrinkles deepen, and my strength diminishes, am I still valuable? Are you still valuable? How much are you worth?
Let me answer that question using a real life example. Do you like this picture on the right? Would you love to see this picture hanging in your living room? Ninety-nine percent of the people who see it don’t like it. It was painted in 1905 by then 24-year-old Pablo Picasso. The picture didn’t sell until 1950. A wealthy New York publisher “Jock” Whitney bought it for $30,000 to add to his massive art collection.
Whitney died in 1982, followed by his wife’s death in 1998. At her estate’s liquidation, this painting sold at auction in May 2004 for $110 million dollars, which at that time was the highest priced painting ever sold in art history! Was it worth $110 million dollars? Think about it. What could you do with $110 million dollars? Was that 39” x 13” piece of canvas worth $110 million dollars? Absolutely! The way you determine worth is by what someone is willing to pay for it.
Now, back to the question how much are you worth? Here’s the root of much of our problems, because we often don’t know how to answer that question. Throughout our lives we’ve been told our worth lies within our performance in a job that we hold or the income we produce. Our value comes from our performance. So what happens when we stop performing? We often feel devalued.
The Bible teaches that we have all strayed away from God. So God sent His son Jesus to pay for our sins on the Cross. So how much did God pay to redeem you? He paid far more than $110 million dollars. He paid an immeasurable price. God paid for you with the life of His son.
So how much are you worth? God says that you are of infinite value. So don’t listen to what our society (or the mirror) says about you. The truth is you are a precious, priceless, masterpiece created by God. And you can take that to the bank!
