2337) I once had a professor, Johnny Miller, who did a sermon on intrinsic value. He gave personal examples of this, and as best as my memory can recall, there were three.

First, Johnny told of his young daughter, who got an ice cream cone. As she was eating it, the ice cream fell off the cone, and she wailed in sorrow.

He next described his mother as having a bird she let fly in the house. One day the bird got caught in a closing door and died, and she sobbed at this accident.

Lastly, Johnny told of the death of his father and the grief that spilled out of his heart. His point was, we place an intrinsic value on things which to others may not seem as valuable. The grief of each was great.

This thought came to mind while reading the last of Matthew 10:8. Jesus said, you received without paying; give without paying.

Our salvation and Christian walk are intrinsically valuable because it cost the giver (Jesus) so much. Because he has given so freely, at no cost to us, we should give his love freely to others. To the world, a gift received by faith and not sight may not be of any value, but the intrinsic worth of this gift is priceless.