Your Significance And Value

When Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs put their first personal computer—the Apple I, on the market in 1976, they priced it at $666.66.

What did you get for that hefty price? Nothing but a motherboard that offered a minuscule 8K bytes of RAM in 16-pin 4K memory chips. There was no case, no power supply, no monitor, and no keyboard. Yet, in their advertisement, they described it as a “truly complete microcomputer system on a single PC board… an extremely powerful computer system that can be used for anything from developing programs to playing games …” Today, for the same price, you can buy a computer a million times more powerful than the Apple I, one that includes the case, disc drives, USB ports, keyboard, mouse, monitor, power supply, and loads of software and apps. By today’s standards, the Apple I was a contemptible piece of garbage.

The Value of a Thing

Yet, would you believe that recently an original Apple I “computer” was auctioned off at Christie’s of New York for $355,000? Back in 2013, another Apple I sold for $671,400. Then in 2014, the Henry Ford Museum purchased an original Apple I for the staggering sum of $905,000.

Why do people place such great value on something so simple and shabby? Well, first, the Apple I has historical significance. It was the first affordable and practical microprocessor that could be hooked up to an inexpensive TV—as opposed to the Altair 8800, which required a radio teletypewriter to view your information. Plus, Apple I (hand-built by Steve Wozniak in his parents’ garage) launched Apple Computers, which helped fuel the expansion of Silicon Valley and the PC revolution.

Rarity and Value

Apple I’s are also highly valued because they are so rare. Apple only ever built 200. And the Apple Company destroyed most of them due to the policy of giving discounts on Apple II’s for Apple I turn-ins. Today, curators believe that only six working Apple Is still exist. That’s why they garner such high prices. Even if you own a damaged Apple I, it’s only one of 200 ever made.

For similar reasons, one could easily demonstrate that you are incomprehensibly more valuable. Forget for just a moment all the cruel and hurtful things that people have ever said to you. Think only of the significance you have in relation to the Almighty, the Creator of this vast universe. For He built and fashioned you in His own image. This means that when He looks at you, He sees something of Himself. And you are not merely one of 200 ever built. God built you, the absolutely only one ever. Your Heavenly Father created you according to His own specifications—He purposely chose your characteristics, talents, abilities, natural preferences, and a personality which only you possess. So you are far beyond “rare.” You are supremely unique and irreplaceable.

Your Value Is Priceless

Yet your significance exceeds all human understanding when you consider the price your Heavenly Father has paid for your redemption. He valued you so much that He sacrificed what was most precious to Him—His only Son—to redeem you. He sent His Son to the cross and laid upon Him all of your sins and then punished Him in your place. Indeed, He did this so He might be able to pour out His love upon you and bring you to heaven to spend eternity with Him. And He is ceaselessly involved in preparing you for eternity, sending both blessings and trials to nurture and purify you for the world to come. Yes, from heaven’s view, your significance and uniqueness make you immensely valuable and consummately priceless.

So don’t let the hurtful words and abuse of others distort your sense of self-worth and never live down to their view of you. Live up to God’s image of you. His opinion of you is the only one that matters. Seek to please Him who loves you eternally and unconditionally. Trust

Him for forgiveness and salvation and place your life in His hands. God’s message to you is, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore, I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jer. 31:3).

PRAYER:

Dear Father in heaven, no one will ever love me or value me as You do – and Your love is unconditional and unfailing. Please help me to grasp with my mind and experience in my life the breadth, length, height, and depth of Your love for me. Grant that I may never neglect nor fail to live up to Your amazing love for me. Amen.