Your Precious Value

I would like to share a parable with you today.

A boy asks his father what the value of his life was. The father handed him a shiny stone and said, “ I want you to go ask the local baker if he will buy this from you. When he asks how much, say nothing and hold up two fingers. When you get your answer bring the stone home with you.”

So the boy went to the baker and showed him the stone.

“How much”, asked the baker. And the boy held up two fingers, as instructed.

“I’ll buy it for two dollars.” Said the baker.

The boy went home and told his father the price. He father said, “Now I want you to go to the market and see what the antique dealer offers.

The boy went to the market and showed the antique dealer the stone.

“That looks like a ruby!” she said. “How much for it?”

The boy held up two fingers.

“Two hundred dollars? It’s a lot, but I’ll take it,” she said.

Next the boy’s father sent him to the jeweler. He held the stone up to the sun and saw how the light refracted through it. He put it under a microscope, and his eyes grew wide.

“This is a rare and beautiful ruby,” he said. “How much for it?”

The boy held up two fingers.

“Two hundred thousand dollars is a far price, indeed,” said the jeweler.

The boy, excited, hurried back to his father to tell him this news. The father smile and put the ruby in his pocket.

“Now do know how much your life is worth?” he asked.

This story is not about the ruby.

It is about you and it is about me.

It is a wonderful illustration that we have different worth to different people.

Taking it a step further, it reminds me that we need to know our value, and we need to know that our value is priceless, as we are a rare, one-of-a-kind person. We reflect the light in our own unique way.

There is no one else like you and no one else like me.

Taylor Swift highlights this important fact in her song, ME.

I’m the only one of me
Baby, that’s the fun of me
You’re the only one of you
Baby, that’s the fun of you

Taylor Swift

When we fully realize this truth, it has profound impact in our lives. Most importantly, it will have an impact on the people you choose to spend time with.

When you are with people who see you unique and priceless value, and you do the same to them, it creates a peace, a harmony, a freedom and a joy that can only come with that understanding.

We do not get to control how others see us. We do get to control how we see ourselves.

Let me encourage you and remind you to see yourself as more precious than any material possession, and as the most valuable you possible.

The reason I want to encourage you is because it is absolutely true. You are on the only one of you.

And I am the only one of me.

Now let’s have fun with that!