It was one of days when being a childhood fan of “The Price is Right” game show would have been put into good used. I stared closely at the exquisite antique looking wooden vase at the entrance door of a bedroom.
It all started when my colleagues and I were invited by one of the factory owner to have a barbecue-party in his house. The house located in one of the plush subdivisions just outside the city of Guangzhou. And knowing China for vertical habitats for its people, it was easy to surmise that owning such a single detached 3-floored house inside a 500 meter square lot should have cost him a fortune.
“Oh, around 4 million yuan,” James, the rich owner, replied when curiosity got the better of me.
My gosh, that would be 28 million pesos. I nearly fainted but was only prevailed upon by my determined self not to break a thing inside or else risk losing my months of salary to repay it. He invited us for a quick tour around. We gladly obliged lest we get lost inside by ourselves. Just kidding, he provided each of us with our own maps for direction. Still kidding.
And then came the trivia. There it is resting on top of a shoulder-high podium under a single spotlight that reflects the light on its shiny surface. There is the vase.
James asked us how much we think it is worth. I recalled, at the back of my mind, all the expensive decorations and adornments that I have seen so far inside his property after which I concluded only one thing in mind. It should cost lot.
Smugly I quipped, “Uhm…at least 8,000 yuan.” (That’s about 56,000 pesos)
To which he replied with a grin,”200 yuan from a Guangzhou local shop.” (That’s a reasonable price equivalent of 1,400 pesos)
Another true story on a different time and on the other side of the globe, one Susan McCullen of Nashville Tennessee, made a discovery amongst smashed and thrown items on a trash bin. She saw a golden edge of a frame and pulled out an interesting watercolor artwork. Curious at her find, she checked and found out that it was made by a New Orleans artist in 1907 called the Felucca Capri which the artist priced at $75 nearly a century ago. It eventually was sold for more than $8,000 (360,000 pesos) on an auction site.
What do these two contrasting situations teach us?
The obvious.
The beautifully crafted vase is still less worthy even if surrounded with precious things and put inside a very expensive area for display. On the other hand, the artwork surrounded by trashes was worth much more than the impressions it made to passers-by.
How many rich persons have we often heard or read about who confessed to feeling empty and worthless despite the glittering golds at their disposal? Then how many poor persons do we know who are able to sleep well and are in constant smile with positive outlook in their lives despite working hard to even just get the next decent meal for their family.
Their true values were in their individual selves.
Not from things beside them.
Not from materials in front of them.
Definitely not what surrounds them.
Nothing external.
Their individual worth comes within.
Uninfluenced.
Unchanged.
Intrinsic.
Now for a little refresher, please take a look at the person in your mirror.
So how much do you think that person in the mirror is worth?
Not quite sure yet?
Take Romans 5:8 – “But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”
We are priceless in His eyes and are worth dying for in order to be saved.
We are treasures, not trash.
Wealth, not waste
Gold cache, not garbage
Expensive silver, not litter.
Isn’t it about time we live according to our true worth as well?
God bless.
