Worth

In 1889, Vincent van Gogh committed himself to a psychiatric asylum in Southern France, where he spent a turbulent year creating roughly 150 paintings, including masterpieces such as “Irises,” “Almond Blossom” and “The Starry Night.”

Now, a former curator of ancient art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art has teamed up with a group of conservators, scientists, and historians who believe they’ve discovered No. 151. It is a previously unknown Van Gogh portrait of a fisherman plucked from a Minnesota garage sale a few years ago by an unsuspecting antiques collector in Minnesota. The dealer called to say he’d spotted this fisherman in a bin of other paintings at a garage sale. He’d bought it because he liked the work’s impasto, or thickly painted brushstrokes.

A team of specialists is trying to prove that the canvas bought for less than $50 was painted by the iconic artist and is now worth $15 million.

Possible Preaching Angle:

Human Worth; Value - Just as we often find unexpected treasures in the most unlikely places, people, too, carry within themselves hidden value that may not be immediately apparent. Each individual holds unique talents, perspectives, and strengths waiting to be discovered and appreciated. By taking the time to look beyond the surface, we open ourselves to the possibility of uncovering remarkable qualities in others.

They're colorful, valuable, and make the most delightful noise shaking around in their box … and to the trained criminal eye, they glitter nearly as valuably as uncut diamonds. What are they? Humble Lego sets.

Recently, thieves have begun targeting Lego sets as (relatively) high value and nearly untraceable goods. Why? The brick toys are in massive demand, can be instantly resold, command high prices for hard to find or mint condition sets, and are extremely difficult to track as stolen goods. Over the years, Lego sets have become more elaborate — for example, Lego recently released a kit of the Millennium Falcon, comprising 7,541 pieces and, notably, retailing for $849.95. An unopened Lego Star Wars Cloud City set from 2023 will set you back $7,000.

A Lego crime ring was recently busted in southern California where police said they found 2,800 boxes of Lego, with individual values ranging from $20 to “well over” $1,000. They included Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Marvel sets. In similar recent cases thieves smashed their way into stores and made off with around $100,000 worth of Lego kits.

“Ten years ago, I just couldn’t have imagined it — I did not think our little hobby was the kind of thing that would attract that kind of crime,” said Graham E. Hancock, editor of Blocks, an enthusiast magazine.

Possible Preaching Angles:

1) Value - It's a fascinating case study in value—sometimes the easily overlooked things right under our noses are more interesting or valuable than we think; 2) Greed; Temptation – The sinful desire for wealth can lead to sin, destruction, and judgment; 3) Meaning; Purpose - The Bible often speaks of the emptiness of material possessions and the search for true meaning and purpose in life. People’s obsession with Lego sets might reflect a deeper longing for something more.

Stradivarius musical instruments are renowned worldwide as some of the greatest ever shaped by the hand of man. Of the roughly 1,000 violins, cellos, guitars, and others that Antonio Stradivari created in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, only 650 exist today and are only played by world-class musicians.

So, you’d think people might be careful with them.

According to an official at Spain’s Royal Palace in Madrid, a Stradivarius cello worth more than $20 million has been damaged. The Spanish newspaper El Mundo explained that the prized cello broke after falling off a table during a photo shoot.

No details were released as to how the cello fell off the table, in what manner it was damaged or the identity of the butterfingers who dropped it. But according to the report, a piece that joins the neck to cello’s body broke and fell off. According to the Daily Mail, the palace official said the broken piece was a replacement installed in the 19th century and will be repaired.

Possible Preaching Angle:

You'd think that when you're dealing with something that valuable, you'd treat it according to its incredible worth. But unfortunately, this is how some spouses treat each other. One command in Scripture says, “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (1 Pet. 3:7).

A piece of conceptual art titled "Comedian," created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was recently auctioned for $6.2 million at Sotheby's of New York. The artwork consists of a banana duct-taped to a wall.

This unusual piece caused a sensation when it premiered at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019, sparking debate over whether it was a clever commentary on the art world or simply a joke. The attention was so intense that the piece had to be removed from display. Despite its simplicity, three editions of "Comedian" sold for between $120,000 and $150,000.

This time around, the winning bid at Sotheby's came from Justin Sun, founder of the cryptocurrency platform TRON. With auction house fees included, Sun paid over 40 times the original selling price. It's important to note, however, that Sun didn't purchase the banana itself. Instead, he bought a certificate of authenticity that grants him the right to duct-tape a banana to a wall and call it "Comedian."

Bidding for the piece began at $800,000 and quickly escalated, reaching millions within minutes. Auctioneer Oliver Barker, trying to maintain a lighthearted tone, quipped, "Don’t let it slip away,” and “Don’t miss this opportunity. These are words I’ve never thought I’d say: Five million dollars for a banana.”

Sun, commenting on his purchase, stated that "Comedian" represents “a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community." He also revealed his plans for the artwork, stating, "Additionally, in the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture.”

Possible Preaching Angle:

This story can serve as a modern parable, challenging us to reflect on our values, the use of resources, and the nature of true worth in light of biblical teachings. It reminds us of the empty value the world places on temporary things.

Sportswriter Jason Gay wrote an article about a rare baseball card of the famous Babe Ruth.

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary, unexceptional, very old baseball card. It was not. It was a missing link. This was him, alright. The Babe. The most famous player baseball has ever produced … Even I knew this Ruth card was valuable, extraordinary, worth a visit. If I wanted confirmation, I needed only to look at the armed guard sitting on a stool next to its display case. This card was precious cargo, protected like a Picasso, making a brief pit stop at its former home, the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, before being auctioned off and sold to the highest bidder.

[Here’s why it] is such a big deal: One, it’s the first known card depicting the towering lefty slugger. The card … is extremely scarce: There are only 10 of them known, and one hasn’t hit the market in more than a decade. But also: It’s the Babe! This is a charismatic cultural figure with a reach far beyond sports; who once justified making a salary higher than President Hoover by saying, “Why not? I had a better year.”

The auction began November 16, 2023. Within hours, bidding had hit $5.25 million. It eventually sold for $7.2 million.

Possible Preaching Angles:

1) Jesus Christ - The card was so valuable because of the name on the card—Babe Ruth. The name means everything. But the name of Jesus is worth infinitely more than any name in heaven or on earth. 2) Christian - Christians are also valuable because we bear the name of Christ on us.

Beauty has its privileges. Studies reliably show that the most physically attractive among us tend to get more attention from parents, better grades in school, more money at work, and more satisfaction from life. A study published in the Journal of Economics and Business found that good-looking banking CEOs take in over $1 million more in total compensation, on average, than their lesser-looking peers. “Good looks pay off,” the authors write.

New research from Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance similarly finds that comely managers of mutual funds lure more investments and enjoy more promotions than their counterparts, even though their funds don’t perform as well. The researchers suggest this performance gap may be because handsome managers approach risk with arrogant levels of confidence.

Scientists attribute the human tendency to give attractive people better treatment to something called the halo effect. Basically, we tend to assume that good looks are a sign of intelligence, trustworthiness, and good character and that ugliness is similarly more than skin deep. This may help explain why attractive people are less likely to be arrested or convicted, even after controlling for criminal involvement, according to a 2019 study published in the journal Psychiatry, Psychology and Law.

Possible Preaching Angle:

The gospel works by grace not by beauty—God saves us in Christ not because we are beautiful and worthy. He saves us despite our lack of spiritual and moral beauty. But he saves us to make us truly beautiful in him.

In his book Hinge Moments, college president D. Michael Lindsay shares about the birth of his oldest daughter, Elizabeth. They quickly knew something wasn’t quite right with her developmentally. When she was four months old, their pediatrician said, “Well, I don’t know what to say, but something is definitely wrong with your little girl.” Lindsay says, “I found it difficult to breathe. Grief overtook us and made it hard to get out even basic words. We prayed hard that our worst fears wouldn’t live themselves out, but we dreaded they would.”

After three years of tests and specialists, Elizabeth was diagnosed with an extremely rare genetic disorder. She is only one of 500 people or so known cases in the world. There is no cure. It involves profound cognitive disability, legal blindness, and many challenges with internal organs.

Lindsay says that parenting Elisabeth has been what he calls a “heavy joy”—filled with profound challenges but also lots of happy moments. It has also taught him and his wife key lessons about being transformed by Christ. Lindsay writes:

Elizabeth is not drawn to fame or self-advancement. She reflects a more authentic way of Christian living, one that is less interested in appearances or achievement. She takes pleasure in simple things—the taste of vanilla ice cream, the thrill of reaching heights in the backyard swing, the delight of listening to songs with a good beat and familiar melody. And Elizabeth is genuinely happy when she pleases her father, clapping for herself when she hears my affirmations.

Having Elizabeth in our family has helped us see the importance of vulnerability and simple obedience to Christ. More importantly, she has demonstrated that “walking in a manner worthy of the Lord” (Col. 1:10) doesn’t rely on superior [knowledge or performance]. Instead, it is a way of being that opens us up to fully pleasing the Lord in our respective callings.

Some people think that the claim that human equality comes from Jesus is just biased. But when the British historian Tom Holland set out to write his book, Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, he was not a Christian. He'd always been far more attracted by the Greek and Roman gods than by the crucified hero of Christianity. But through years of research, he concluded that he, agnostic as he was, held many specifically Christian beliefs. For example, his belief in universal human equality and the need to care for the poor and oppressed.

Holland writes:

That every human being possessed an equal dignity was not remotely a self-evident truth. A Roman would have laughed at it. To campaign against discrimination on the grounds of gender or sexuality, however, was to depend on large numbers of people sharing in a common assumption: that everyone possessed an inherent worth. The origins of this principle—as the philosopher Frederick Nietzsche had contemptuously pointed out—lay not in the French Revolution, nor in the Declaration of Independence, nor in the Enlightenment, but in the Bible.

While working in India, Doctor Paul Brand, who pioneered the modern treatment of leprosy, once laid his hand on a patient's shoulder. Then, through a translator, Brand informed the man about the treatment that lay ahead. To his surprise, the man began to shake with muffled sobs.

Doctor Brand asked his translator, “Have I done something wrong?” The translator quizzed the patient and reported, “No, doctor. He says he is crying because you put your hand around his shoulder. Until you came here, no one had touched him for many years.”

In his book The Life We’re Looking For, author Andy Crouch relates the following spiritual prayer experience. While stuck in Chicago’s O’Hare airport on a cold winter night, he needed some exercise, so he tried the following prayer walk experiment:

As I walked, I decided, I would try to take note of each person I passed. I would pay as much attention to each of them as I could … and say to myself as I saw each one, image bearer. I passed a weary looking man in a suit. Image bearer. Right behind him was a woman in a sari. Image bearer. A mother pushed a stroller with a young baby; a young man, presumably the baby’s father, walked next to her, half holding, half dragging a toddler by the hand. Image bearer, image bearer, image bearer, image bearer. A ramp worker walked by in a bulky coat and safety vest. Image bearer.

By the time I reached the corridor where Terminal 1 connects to Terminal 2, I had passed perhaps 200 people, glancing at their faces just long enough to say to myself, image bearer. I had six more concourses to go. ... After about 45 minutes of walking—image bearer, image bearer, image bearer … I was at the most distant gates.

By the end of the walk … I had passed people in every stage of life and health, [many] national and ethnic backgrounds, some traveling together, most seemingly alone. The stories I would never learn behind each of those faces … the possibility and futility each one had no one and would know … carried an emotional and spiritual weight that I can still feel, years later. From time to time, I repeat this exercise on a city street, in a coffee shop, even driving on the highway with faces are just a blur behind a windshield. Image bearer, image bearer, image bearer. It never fails to move me.

When Friedrich Stapel went to move the herd of cows under his care, he had no idea they would attract a following. But that’s exactly what happened after he spotted a wild boar piglet, roaming with his cows in his town of Brevoerde, Germany. He theorized that it must have gotten separated from his own kind while crossing a river, but he couldn’t leave the piglet to fend for himself. He said, “To leave it alone now would be unfair.” He nicknamed the piglet “Frieda,” and told the local hunter not to shoot it.

Whether because of the unusual sight of a piglet roaming with cows, or because of Stapel’s act of compassion, word has gathered in the town. You could say Stapel and his herd of cows have attracted a following.

Possible Preaching Angle:

The heart of Jesus is for all people to be brought into God’s family, especially those isolated or traumatized.

A small bowl bought for just $35 at a yard sale in Connecticut has turned out to be a rare 15th-Century Chinese artefact. The white porcelain bowl was spotted by an unidentified antiques enthusiast near New Haven last year, and they quickly sought an expert evaluation.

The experts came back with good news, revealing that the bowl is thought to be worth between $300,000 and $500,000. In fact, it is believed to be one of only seven such bowls in existence and most of the others are in museums.

Angela McAteer, an expert on Chinese ceramics said, "It was immediately apparent to us that we were looking at something really very, very special. The style of painting, the shape of the bowl, even just the color of the blue is quite characteristic of that early, early 15th-Century … Ming [Dynasty] period.”

How exactly the bowl found itself being sold at a Connecticut outdoor sale remains a mystery. Some have suggested it may have been passed down through generations of the same family.

"It's always quite astounding to think that it still happens, that these treasures can be discovered," McAteer said. "It's always really exciting for us as specialists when something we didn't even know existed here appears seemingly out of nowhere."

Possible Preaching Angle:

God often hides great value behind the veil of the ordinary: 1) Deity of Christ; Humanity of Christ; Messiah - The deity of Christ was cloaked in humanity when he was born in a stable (Isa. 53:2-3; Luke 2:7); 2) Human worth; Insignificance; Small Things - The “ordinary” people in our churches have hidden value (1 Cor. 1:27; Jam. 2:5).

Country music star Merle Haggard wrote the following lyrics after spending years in and out of prison:

When they let me out of prison, I held my head up high,

Determined I would rise above the shame.

But no matter where I’m living, the black mark follows me,

I'm branded with a number on my name.

The lyrics are the reflections in a hit song recorded by Merle Haggard, titled “Branded Man.”

Devastated by his father’s death when he was still a child, Merle soon got into trouble and stepped into petty crime. He therefore found himself in prison many times, eventually ending up in the dreaded San Quentin Prison.

Through a series of events while in prison, Merle decided to change his lifestyle and took to music. He attributes this decision to a concert held by Johnny Cash at the prison. On being paroled, he took to country music and began to find success.

In 1972, Merle Haggard was granted a full pardon by then Governor of California, Ronald Reagan, and never looked back. He went on to become a legend in Country Music.

Possible Preaching Angle:

Sadly, we often accept the unkind labels put on us by others and live our lives believing that we have no worth! Whatever people say or think of us, however, what really matters is what God thinks of us. Thankfully, the scriptures show us that God places great value on us, and we need to believe what God says.

Scientists at the Southwest Research Institute have been using the Hubble Space Telescope to observe a massive asteroid known as 16 Psyche. They recently published a study in the Planetary Science Journal to summarize their findings.

16 Psyche captured their attention for several reasons. First, it’s one of the largest objects in the massive asteroid belt that orbits between the planets Mars and Jupiter. It appears to be made mostly of metal. It also captured their attention because its metals are valued at $10 quintillion (10 followed by 18 zeros) which exceeds the value of the entire world economy of Earth. Lead author Tracy Becker said "We’ve seen meteorites that are mostly metal. But Psyche could be unique in that it might be an asteroid that is totally made of iron and nickel.”

What makes Psyche and the other asteroids so interesting is that they’re considered to be the building blocks of the solar system. To understand what really makes up a planet and to potentially see the inside of a planet is fascinating. NASA is planning an unmanned mission to study 16 Psyche. Launch is planned for 2022, and the spacecraft should arrive at Psyche’s orbit by 2026.

Possible Preaching Angle:

We are valuable precisely because we are so rare. Each one of us is a unique bearer of God's image, and therefore, of incomparable value. There has never been a you before you, and there never will ever again. You are a one-in-a-universe masterpiece.

The 20th Century American Catholic writer, Walker Percy, wrote frequently about how life in the modern world alienates us from things that truly matter. His most famous book, The Moviegoer, describes a successful stock broker in his late-twenties. In the book, a man named Binx Bolling, hops from relationship to relationship and whose greatest happiness comes from watching movies. (Can any Netflix bingers relate?) But then something happens that makes him want more than the “everydayness of his own life.” The rest of the novel is about his search for things that truly matter.

Possible Preaching Angle:

Binx’ awakening sounds very similar to the experience of people today. “What is the nature of the search? you ask. The search is what anyone would undertake if he were not sunk in the everydayness of his own life. To become aware of the search is to be onto something. Not to be onto something is to be in despair.” (Walker Percy)

For a summary of the book: click here.

Cyd Holsclaw and Geoffrey Holsclaw write in their book, Does God Really Like Me?:

A transformation by love is on full display at the City Museum in St. Louis, Missouri. The name makes it sound like a place to learn about the history of St. Louis, which sounded a little boring to us. But good friends kept telling us we should check it out.

It was not at all what we expected. The entire museum is literally made of junk—the junk of the city transformed into a playground wonderland. The whole museum is composed of pieces of St. Louis that had been demolished, abandoned, or thrown away as useless. Concrete, rebar, rusty gears, cinder blocks, ceiling panels, broken tiles, shards of pottery, empty beer kegs, broken bottles—all things that had been tossed aside as worthless or unusable. Everything was tossed aside because it didn't belong anymore.

But the builders of the City Museum didn't see it that way. They transformed this trash into a beautiful, eclectic playground for children and adults. One room transforms scraps into a swampland forest people can swing through. Another room is a maze of bank safes and mirrors. Another is full of ladders and slides—one slide is ten stories tall! Outside people can climb high into the air through "gerbil tunnels" made of rebar, into a broken airplane suspended in the air, or onto a dilapidated school bus hanging off the side of the building.

As a family we have spent hours—actually days—exploring the different rooms, finding secret passageways, and delighting in unexpected treasures. And the whole thing is not only fun to play in, but it's also surprisingly beautiful. The whole place is a work of art.

Possible Preaching Angle:

There may be times when you feel that your life is broken and worthless. It is then that God wants you to know that he specializes in turning the broken and worthless into objects of beauty and value. This is the story of Easter in which God turns death into life.

Many communities are forced to reckon with good things that somehow slip through the cracks. In Claymont, one of those things ended up as a blessing.

The New Castle County community has developed a quarter-century-long tradition around a quirky piece of folklore—the humble Claymont Christmas Weed, which locals decorate every year. Despite its diminutive size and unorthodox locale, it has become a defining centerpiece of the Claymont holiday celebration.

It started back on a slow news day in 1993, when a local newspaper photographer captured an image of a wild fir tree growing out of the cracked pavement of Philadelphia Pike. Neighbors and motorists in passing had adorned it with a few modest ornaments, and the image of the plucky—dubbed “the Christmas weed” in the headline—did the early 90s equivalent of going viral.

Unfortunately, the photo caught the eye of officials at the Delaware Department of Transportation, who considered it a potential traffic hazard and scheduled it for prompt removal. The DOT’s Scroogelike response escalated a community outcry; not only was it promptly replaced several times, but a reporter wrote a sentimental fable about it that was well-received by the general public.

Twenty-five years later, Claymont celebrates the weed with a literal parade of cheerleaders, marching bands, and fire trucks. Resident Barbara Harbin, who organizes the festivities, understands the appeal.

"We say it represents Claymont. We're not pretty, but we're plucky. We are resilient, and we keep coming back."

Potential Preaching Angles:

One secret of Christmas joy is that blessings come from unexpected places in unexpected form. The young, the vulnerable, the rejected... those tend to be the vessels that God chooses for his glory.

In 2000, two parents founded a pizzeria in Rome with the goal of employing people with Down syndrome. Inspired by their son, who had the condition, they named it La Locanda dei Girasoli (translated as “The Sunflower Inn”).

Today, the restaurant employs eight differently-abled people (five with Down syndrome) and boasts a 4.5-star review on TripAdvisor, making it a destination of sorts. According to their website, the restaurant’s goal is to “promote the employment of people with Down syndrome, ennobling and giving dignity to the individual through a path to training and work placement.” Learn more about their story below:

With the abortion rate of those with Down syndrome now edging 90 percent, modern society has increasingly adopted a distorted view of those who are differently-abled. To counter the popular prejudices and misconceptions, the restaurant also seeks to further “mutuality, solidarity, and respect” for those with Down syndrome.

“The initial reaction of customers is often curiosity and even hesitation,” explains Ugo Menghini, one of the restaurant’s managers. “At first they’re surprised. Then they’re interested. Not only do they see that our workers are great at getting the job done. They see a human side to the restaurant that makes people happy. They have a friendly exchange with us so there’s always a pleasant dynamic.”

It’s a beautiful display of the transformative power of business and the abundance bound up in all people, regardless of their background or physical condition. Entrepreneurs, business owners, and managers would do well to heed these stories and respond in turn. What we commonly label as a “disability” may very well be the exact opposite.

When given the chance and investment, the differently-abled are bound to surprise us and contribute to our economic future in new and profound ways.

Once upon a time, there was a king who looked from his palace window and saw one of his children collecting flowers in a distant field. The king watched as the child collected the flowers into a bouquet and wrapped it with a royal ribbon of royal colors. The king smiled because the ribbon indicated that the flowers were being collected as a gift for his own pleasure. Then the king noticed that the child—because he was a child—gathered not only flowers. From time to time, the child also added some weeds from the field, and some ivy from the border of the woods, and some thistle from the unmown banks of ditches."

To help his laboring child, the king gave a mission to his oldest son, who sat at his right hand. The king said to his eldest son, "Go to my garden and pick from the flowers that grow there. Then, when your sibling comes to my throne room with his gift, remove all that is unfit for my palace from his bouquet. Make it fit by putting in its place the flowers that I have grown."

The elder brother did exactly as his father had instructed. When the younger child came to the throne room, his brother removed the weeds, the ivy, and the thistle, substituting all with flowers from the king's garden. Then, the firstborn son rewrapped the royal ribbon around the bouquet so that his sibling could present his gift to the king. With a beaming smile, the younger child entered the throne room, presented the gift, and said, "Here, my father, is a beautiful bouquet that I have prepared for you." Only later would he understand that his gift had been made acceptable by the gracious provision of his father.