The Value of Life – A timeless parable on worth, discernment, and self-respect
A little boy went to his old grandpa and asked, “What’s the value of life?”
The grandpa gave him one stone and said, “Find out the value of this stone, but don’t sell it.”
The boy took the stone to an orange seller and asked him what the cost would be. The orange seller saw the shiny stone and said, “You can take 12 oranges and give me the stone.”
The boy apologized, saying his grandpa had asked him not to sell it. He went ahead and found a vegetable seller.
“What could be the value of this stone?” he asked the vegetable seller.
The seller saw the shiny stone and said, “Take one sack of potatoes and give me the stone.”
The boy again apologized and said he couldn’t sell it. Further ahead, he went into a jewelry shop and asked about the value of the stone. The jeweler saw the stone under a lens and said, “I’ll give you 1 million for this stone.”
When the boy shook his head, the jeweler said, “Alright, alright, take two 24-karat gold necklaces, but give me the stone.”
The boy explained that he can’t sell the stone. Further ahead, the boy saw a precious stone shop and asked the seller the value of the stone.
When the precious stone’s seller saw the big ruby, he laid down a red cloth and put the ruby on it. Then he walked in circles around the ruby and bent down and touched his head in front of the ruby. “From where did you bring this priceless ruby from?” he asked. “Even if I sell the whole world and my life, I won’t be able to purchase this priceless stone.”
Stunned and confused, the boy returned to the grandpa and told him what had happened. “Now, tell me what the value of life is, Grandpa?”
Grandpa said, “The answers you got from the orange seller, the vegetable seller, the jeweler, and the precious stone seller explain the value of our life.
“You may be a precious stone, even priceless, but people will value you based on their financial status, their level of information, their belief in you, their motive behind entertaining you, their ambition, and their risk-taking ability. But don’t fear, you will surely find someone who will discern your true value.”
Respect yourself.
Believe in yourself.
Stay focused.
Don’t sell yourself cheap.
You are Unique.
No one can replace you!
— Author Unknown
Meditation: Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. – 1 John 3:1-2
Through the Love of Christ, Our Savior, All Will Be Well!
Also read:
- Life Lessons from the Electric Eel: Guarding Against Self-Inflicted Pain
- Understanding the Devil: He Is Cunning and Deceitful
- Entities in the Bible: The First Surrogate Parent
- Leadership Lessons from Moses and the Daughters of Zelophehad
- When Life Feels Off Kilter – Turning to God, the Master Repairman
- A Testimony of Faith Through My Son’s Hospitalisation
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