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How much are you worth?

Posted by simplisticthoughts , Wednesday, October 5, 2011 9:53 PM

"We are all searching for something valuable enough to live our lives for"- Dr. Woods. This was the introduction to my Eastern Civilization class this semester. In the introduction to the course, Dr. Woods challenged the class' world view by postulating the question every human since the beginning of time has dared to ask: What is humanity? What makes something wrong? In essence, Woods asked 'who am I' and where does morality derive from? About 16% of the class considers themselves composed of matter.  Meaning they believe they were created through matter and will die as matter. In regards to morality, 43% of the class determined that individual conscience constructs our moral code; with 27% believing in God or a higher power who created moral law and 28% of the class believed society dictates morality. The issue behind some of these ideologies is the fact they are all subjective to the individual's or culture's set of beliefs. Even reason is dictated by what you perceive as truth.  Where do our beliefs come from in the first place?  Who says one is right and the other is wrong?  What is wrong and right?  How do we as a culture implement justice of those who have been wronged?  Lots of philosophical questions that are hard to answer without an absolute standard in which we all agree upon.


All of these inquiries begged in me the question of 'what is worth' and 'who gives people worth?' Apart from a Creator i.e. God, worth can only be defined or given either by the self (to be self-defined) or worth is determined by others. If you boil it down to brass tax, both options are like building a house on sand. If our worth is determined by one's own self definition- it is no wonder why many people suffer from depression or false self image. We are our own worst critics, constantly on a tirade of pinpointing our flaws. In some ways, understanding our flaws and weaknesses can help us grow and discern but it also can skew our perception of who we truly are. Especially considering the fact we are so driven by emotions.  

 Worth defined by others is flawed as well. I asked an individual the other day 'what gives people value or worth' and he responded that people give validation to a person. If you look down the timeline of history, even to present day, the value of human life has been degraded in pursuit of progress, greed, resources, reproductive rights, etc... The opinion of even the ones closest to us can vary from day to day pending on a multitude of factors. If it is society or other people who apply worth to an individual, how do you explain the worth of the Jewish people to the Nazi regime?  Or the slaves' inherent worth to Southern whites during the slave trades?

If people are simply matter, with all of our destinies ending in eventual death- what would cause an individual to value another's life over their own? Why try to cure cancers or risk our lives to save someone else's?   The worth and value of each individual person is so incalculable that even our own perception or the opinions of others can not dictate it. I believe this worth can only be given by an unwavering truth. The Word of God is considered to be everlasting, eternal, a solid rock, never changing...what does the Creator say about you? He has given you infinite value...value that was not meant to be compromised. How absurd would it be for the most precious, prized jewel to sell itself short of its value? I leave you with this to ponder, who is allowing to give you value and worth in your life? Below is what God would say you are...just saying. ;)

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