A few years ago, Anne Marie Helmenstine was asked what was the actual value of a human body. Utilizing her chemistry background (PhD), she listed the elements in the body and researched their 2011 market values. She concluded that the average human was worth about a dollar, and if you could tan the skin (hide), you could raise that total to $4.50 or $5.00.
Recently, James Farris cited a new study which places the value of a human at 43 million dollars. The difference is not inflation, but in things Anne Marie never thought to consider. Bone marrow, DNA, antibodies, reproductive components, and organs are in great demand and therefore quite expensive.
However, there are aspects of our humanity that can’t he price tagged. How do we establish values for dreams or talents? How much is a person worth who discovers a cure for cancer? What is the love for your spouse or child worth? The place we hold in the hearts of those around us truly makes us irreplaceable and therefore priceless.
In all of this discussion, we have failed to address the most crucial part of humanity: the eternal soul that God has placed within each of us. Jesus asked his disciples two probing questions in Mark 8: “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Each of us possess an eternal soul which possesses divine qualities. We are each a treasure and of great value to God. Let’s act like it!
Don Loftis