"A Question of Value"
A Reflection on the Rule of St. Benedict
by Fr. John
Martin Shimkus, O.S.B.
Value is determined
by what we give in exchange
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a
10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a
table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
“How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked. “Fifty
cents,” replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and
carefully studied the coins in it. After several moments
he asked, “Well, how much is a plain dish of ice
cream?” Now the waitress was growing impatient as
more people were waiting for a table. “Thirty-five
cents,” she brusquely replied. The little boy again
slowly and methodically counted his coins. “I’ll have
the plain ice cream,” he said. The waitress brought the
ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away.
The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and
left. When the waitress came back, she was moved
with emotion as she wiped down the table. There, placed
neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five
pennies – fifteen cents. You see, the reason why the
little boy couldn’t afford the ice cream sundae was
because of his appreciation for the waitress and his
desire to leave her a generous tip.
This story demonstrates to us that the value we place on
something is related to what we give in exchange for
it. If we must part with a sum of money, or give
of our time, or surrender something else of value in
order to have it, than we are indicating that whatever
it is that we desire has a value to us, a value that is
determined by how much we had to give in its place.
The Kingdom of God has the highest value
There’s no doubt that for a
true Christian, the kingdom of God is the most valuable
thing that one can possess; there is no doubt that
experiencing God’s presence and will in our lives is
worth any whatever we are able to offer in
exchange. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells
two short parables about what two people were willing to
give in order to possess God’s kingdom: a person
searching for buried treasure sells everything he has in
order to buy the field where the treasure is buried; and
a merchant discovers a pearl of great price and gives
all his possessions in exchange for it. Based on
the way Jesus presents these stories, we notice that
neither of these people is coerced to behave this
way. Neither is forced to give up their
possessions or sell his or her property, but rather they
are inspired by the joy of having something that to them
is more highly valued, a true treasure; and in return
for that treasure, no price is too great to pay.
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