Here’s a discussion question for you to have over your next coffee break or meal with someone – it’ll be interesting to see what those around you think:

Who determines the worth of an item – the Seller or the Buyer?

The Seller owns the item. They control it, they want to sell it, and so they list their price for it. So the Seller determines the item’s value, right?

The Buyer wants the item, and has to pay whatever price the Seller lists for it, right? Well, not necessarily.

Have you ever sold something big, like a vehicle or a property? As a Seller, we can do our market research and have our item appraised by experts. We can determine how much our car or house is worth to us as its owner…

But the only way our item is going to sell is if someone comes along and buys it. Right? That’s obvious :-) but think about it: a Seller can put whatever price they want to on an item they own and want to sell. But nothing is going to happen until a Buyer comes along who is willing to pay.

The reality is, an item is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. Which means (in my opinion) the Buyer determines an item’s worth.

Who, then, determines a person’s worth? Do they determine their own worth? Or do their parents? Or their teachers or coaches? Their friends? Their employers? Or society at large?

Who determines your worth? Considering my original question – is it the current owner (ourselves) who determines our worth, or is it the one who is willing to pay?

The Almighty and Everlasting Sovereign Lord and God of the Universe values you and me at the extraordinarily-high price of His only Son.

The price paid for us determines our worth in the Father’s eyes: you and I are worth so much to Him that He was willing to give His own life for ours.

1 Corinthians 6:20 says, “You are not your own; you have been bought with a price.”

Acts 20:28 and Revelation 5:9 both tell us that the Lord purchased us with His own blood!

And John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.”

The world does not determine your worth. Your family, your friends, your neighbors and co-workers do not determine your worth. Your boss, your employer – the government – not even society at large gets to determine your worth.

Even you yourself do not get to determine your own worth.

The One who bought you with His own blood – Who gave His own life for yours – willingly, intentionally – He determines your worth! And this is what He says of you:

“You are highly esteemed.” (Daniel 9:23, NIV)
“You are highly esteemed.” (Daniel 10:11, NIV)
“You are highly esteemed.” (Daniel 10:19, NIV)

“You are very precious to God.” (Daniel 9:23, NLT)
“You are very precious to God.” (Daniel 10:11, NLT)
“You are very precious to God.” (Daniel 10:19, NLT)

Romans 5:8 says, “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

You have extraordinary worth! And it has not been determine by you yourself, or your family, your workplace, or society at-large. It has been determined by the One who valued you so highly that He paid for you with His own life!