The two most asked personal philosophical questions are
- The question of reason – “Why am I here?”
- The question of value – “Do I really matter?”
Let’s focus on the question of value. Several years ago, the Country Gazette in Franklin, Massachusetts, had this listing in its classified section: “Unknown item for sale. We know it’s valuable; we don’t know what it is. If you can identify it, we’ll sell it for $250.” Many people are like that. They sense they are valuable, but they do not know why or how much they are worth. Some have been taught their past is nothing more than chance, their future nothing at all, and their present is only as much fun as they can make it. We are much, much more than this!
It is important to be able to correctly calculate our worth. 
Intrinsic Value: The Proposition Looked at from Common Sense
If you wanted to price an item for a yard sale or Craigslist, how would you determine its value?
Manufacturing costs. How much something costs to make is a critical element in determining the item’s final value. Jesus talked about the wisdom of counting how much something will cost to build before starting the project (Luke 14:28–30). Further, how much effort goes into making a thing is factored into its value. When one plants green beans in a garden, weeds them under the hot sun, harvests them with an aching back, breaks and strings them till the thumbnail is tender to the touch, then stays up late canning them, he/she is going to value them much more than a ninety-nine cent can of Del Monte green beans picked up at the grocery.
What about us? How were we made? The psalmist wrote, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth” (Psalm 139:14–15). The phrase “curiously wrought” is the same word translated “wrought with needlework” in Exodus 26:36. God wove together the various systems of our bodies in our mother’s womb.
We do not see any hesitancy on God’s part in our creation (Genesis 1:26), even though He knew what was ahead for His Son (Revelation 13:8). He knew how much it was going to cost Him, and He went ahead with the project anyway. Why? Because our value to Him is far greater than the cost of creating us and redeeming us from sin.
Purchase price. We would ask, “How much would someone be willing to pay for this?” People are sometimes willing to pay more for a used item than it originally sold for. We are surprised when people pay thousands of dollars for collectibles such as beanie babies, Barbie dolls, or baseball cards. Others would not even pay cents for the same items. Why? The more something means to us, the more we are willing to pay for it.
Think of the most valuable thing in your house. What did you pay for it? What would you take for it? What would you pay to replace it if it were destroyed or stolen?
Would you give your right hand for that item? Before responding, read the story of former U.S. Senator (1974–1993) Jake Garn of Utah. His 27-year-old daughter, Susan Garn Horne, suffered from progressive kidney failure due to diabetes. She needed a kidney, so Jake Garn and his two sons were tested. All were compatible donors. The senator insisted on giving his kidney, saying, “Her mother carried her for nine months and I’m honored to give her part of me.” On September 10, 1986, in a Washington hospital, a six-hour surgery was performed to remove one of his kidneys and implant it into his daughter. The surgery was successful.
Was “the most valuable thing in his house” worth a part of his body? “Well, sure, if you put it that way. I would be willing to give part of my body for the life of my child,” you reply.
Let me ask you a second question. Would you give the life of one of your children for the most valuable thing in your house? “Absolutely not!” you say. Before you say that, though, let me tell you the story of Henry Lauder (1870–1950). Lauder was an international Scottish entertainer during the World War II era, described by Sir Winston Churchill as “Scotland’s greatest ever ambassador.” Quite successful, he made 22 trips to America, for which he had his own train, the Harry Lauder Special. During the war, he led successful fundraising efforts for war charities, organized a tour of music halls to help recruit men, and entertained the troops under enemy fire in France. He suffered personal tragedy during the war, when his only son, John (1891–1916), a captain in the 8th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was killed in action on 28 December 1916 at Poiziers.
After the war, the world-class comedian was near a nervous breakdown. His doctor recommended he get away from everything that reminded him of his son, so he rented a house on the seashore, where he walked along the beach day by day. He spent his time reading, meditating, and relaxing. Among the new friends he made was a small boy who lived next door and sometimes joined Henry for evening walks along the beach. One night as they walked along listening to the waves, enjoying the scenery, and watching the sun go down, the boy noticed that there were small flags hanging in the windows of some houses. Some flags had stars hanging from them.
The boy asked Lauder what the flags meant. He replied, “Every home with a flag means that that family sent a son to war.”
“But,” the boy replied, “some stars are silver and some are gold. What does that mean?”
Lauder did not say anything for a long time, but finally replied, “A silver star means that the boy came home safely; a gold star means that the boy died in combat.”
They walked a little farther in silence and night came upon them. The boy looked up at the first evening star, saying excitedly, “Look. There is a star in God’s sky and it is a gold star! Does it mean that God sent His Son to war?”
Lauder stood for a moment. Then with a catch in his voice, he said, “Yes, son. It means that God sent His Son into war—the greatest war that has ever been fought. And yes, the star is gold because God’s Son died in that combat.”
– Allen Webster
