You are very valuable!

"For you were bought with a price." (1 Cor.6:20 ESV)

I heard an old story, supposedly true, about a rich young man in a far eastern country who was making arrangements with a young maiden's father to marry her. Marriages in that country were always arranged and based solely upon the prospective groom's ability to pay the required dowry (the price for her). The dowry was usually paid with camels. An average maiden would usually be valued at 1 to 2 camels, an above average one would be 2 to 3 camels, and an exceptional one could be as much as 4 camels, tops! But, a 4 camel maiden would have to be exceptionally beautiful and would have to possess many other valuable skills and attributes, to ever be worth that much.

The young man met with the father and said, "I offer you 9 camels for your daughter!"

9 camels! This amount was unheard of! No one had ever paid more than 4 camels for a bride before! And this man was offering to pay 9 camels for his daughter!

The father immediately accepted the offer and was thrilled to receive such a high dowry amount for his daughter!

He then set out to publicly announce the upcoming marriage along with the amount that was paid. 9 camels!

The story soon spread far and wide.

People asked, "Who is this remarkable woman, who is worth so much? She must be exceptionally beautiful! She must be an extraordinary woman in every possible way, far above any other!"

Everything changed for the bride to be!

The father said, "I must have failed to notice how beautiful, wonderful, and valuable my daughter is. But not any more! From now on, she will be treated as royalty in my home! She will sit at my right hand, the best place at my table! She will be served first. She will be given the best food. She will be clothed in the finest garments. All her needs and wishes will be taken care of by my servants."

Everyone in her village began to treat her differently, too. When she would arrive, people would say, "Here comes the beautiful 9 camel woman!" And they would admire her!

 Instantly she became valuable!

The maiden was the same person as before, yet everything had changed for her! In an instant she became valuable. It was because of the price that was paid for her!

In the same way, you have been bought with a price! (1 Cor. 6:20). And that price is the most valuable payment that has ever been paid! You have been paid for "with the precious blood of Jesus Christ"! (1 Peter 1:19).

Therefore, YOU are valuable because of the price that was paid!