Introduction
A man once asked God, "What is the value of life?" God smiled and said, "It's a very difficult question. But you can try and find out for yourself. Here, take this stone. Show it to various people and ask them what they feel its value is but don't sell it."
Different Reactions
The man first went to a grocer and asked him, "What according to you is the value of this stone?" The grocer looked at the stone keenly and said, "Looks useless to me. Throw it away!" The man thanked him and went on ahead.
The Book Seller
Next, he went to a book seller. The book seller looked at the stone and said, "I'll give you a dozen of my comic books for it." The man thanked him and went away.
The Antique Seller
Then he went to an antique seller. The antique seller studied the stone for a long time and said, "I'll give you a priceless gem in exchange for this lovely stone." The man went ahead on his mission.
The Precious Stone Dealer
Next, he went to a shop which dealt in precious stones. The owner jumped in joy on seeing the stone. "I am so fortunate that you, Sir, have brought this stone to me! Nothing I have can compensate you for this precious stone!"
The Man's Confusion
Observing so many different reactions, the man was thoroughly confused and went back to God and narrated his experiences. "O Lord! I am confused," he said. "Please tell me what the value of life is."
God's Reply
God told the man, "From the reactions of the grocer, book seller, antique seller, and seller of precious stones, you can understand that no matter what you are, people will value you based on their outlook, their backgrounds, their awareness, their motives, their beliefs, and their intentions. Life is precious, but the value of each one's life is thus different for different people."
Pearls of Wisdom
This story teaches us that the value others assign to us is based on their perceptions. However, this does not determine our true worth. Never get disheartened or threatened by someone else's opinion. Your value is precious in the eyes of God, and He made you with purpose!
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