On multiple weekends a year, Garage/Yard Sales bear out the truism: “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” Strewn across driveways and lawns from New Hampshire to California one finds an eclectic display of anything from assorted building materials and tools to antique figurines and frilly doilies. It seems that this is a favorite weekend activity for many, this pleasure of scrounging around for that special something among the castoffs of others. It’s all about how much an item is ‘worth.’ Beyond this iconic American pastime, we assign value to plenty of other things on a regular basis. For example, if a grand piano comes up for sale, piano players get excited, asking the brand name, the age, the size, the condition, the tuning, the touch, the tone, etc. If all seems in good order and the seller is asking $15,000, it may be a steal! (to a non-piano person it may be totally ridiculous!) An acquaintance recently spent $60,000 completely restoring an old Steinway grand piano for her home. This was a long-awaited treasure and, to her, ‘worth’ every dollar invested. (if you are shaking your head in disbelief right now, you may be thinking that no piano is ‘worth’ that much money – to you.) We’ve mentioned neighbors who bought a baby bulldog for just $3000. To them, she was worth it. (non-animal people might immediately think of many other things ‘worth’ spending that money on. On a smaller scale, ‘worth’ is assigned at the grocery store. One item may be a great bargain at $10.00, while another at $2.00 may be an exorbitant price to pay.
Worth. Or the old English word, ‘worthship.’ Or worthiness. Something that is worthy. Or someone. Another well-known phrase, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” means that the ascribing of worth is dependent on the one who is seeing. Parents, and particularly, grandparents, see inestimable ‘worth’ in children/grandchildren. Lovers see unparalleled ‘worth’ in the object of their affections through their rose-colored glasses. Connoisseurs, aficionados, master craftsmen/women, see ‘worth’ in objects within their areas of expertise. In heaven, right now, the twenty-four throne-surrounding elders, along with ten thousand times ten thousand angels behold One of ‘worth’ and sing: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” As ‘worship’ers of Jesus, what ‘worth’ fills our eyes, our hearts, at our beholding of Him? That’s ’worth’ a think, don’t you think? PD
