The Most Valuable Commodity in the World

Over 25,000 Americans commit suicide each year. Over one million will try but only one out of fifteen will succeed. It is the tenth highest killer in the U.S. More will die by suicide than by murder.

There are over 5,000 suicides among teenagers each year. Some 10,000 college students will attempt suicide in a year. It is the second highest cause of death among young people aged 15-24, surpassed only by accidents. Thirteen young adults each day consider life not worth the living. That is twice as many as ten years ago and three times as many as twenty years ago. One report indicated that as many as 12 percent of all school-aged children will contemplate suicide at least once in their formative years.

George Barna reports that over 70 million Americans today are struggling to find some meaning in life. And that over 50% of Americans struggle with some type of depression.

The most valuable commodity in the world today is hope. Hope for a better today. Hope for a better tomorrow. How we search for hope determines whether or not we’ll find it.

Several years ago the Boston Globe documented how the lottery saturates poor Massachusetts neighborhoods with outlets. For example, Chelsea, an economically struggling community, has one lottery retailer for every 363 residents. By comparison, the affluent suburb of Milton has one for every 3,657 residents. Chelsea residents, many of whom are on welfare, spend nearly eight percent of their incomes on lottery tickets.

As Christians, where do we find our hope? “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

The Apostle Paul prayed that Christians would know this incredible hope, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you” (Ephesians 1:18).

Who is our source of hope? Jesus Christ himself. “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

Cherish the hope you have in Jesus today. Hope is the most valuable commodity in the world.

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