A bored student at the University of Washington used an Internet auction site to sell his soul to the highest bidder. As it turned out, the top offer was only $400.

Since the soul is immaterial, it can't be extracted from a body like a physical organ such as a heart. The student had to admit, "I don't think the high bidder is going to be able to collect on my soul."

That lighthearted offer calls to mind our Savior's serious question in Matthew 16:26, "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?" As He challenged His listeners to think about a future day of judgment, Jesus said that the whole world fades in comparison to the value of a soul.

The question of our worth, therefore, isn't a matter of how much we own. The author of Psalm 49 pointed to the foolishness of those who value possessions more than their souls. Instead, the psalmist looked to the Lord, confident that He "will redeem my soul from the power of the grave" (v.15).

It is because God values us so much that He sent Jesus to earth as a baby. He grew up and then died on the cross to pay the price to redeem us (Romans 5:6-21).

How much are you worth? Look at Bethlehem's cradle and Calvary's cross.
  — Vernon C. Grounds