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ney dialysis treatment is canceled
because the state can no longer
afford the cost of expensive treat–
ment for an unemployed manual
laborer. The list of monetary value
of human life goes on and on.
Appralslng Human Worth
How do we appraise the value of
human life? In this materialistic
world, money seems to be the sole
standard of measurement. Cost–
benefit ratios are the norm. Human
safety, for ins tance, is usually mea–
sured against affordable costs. No
more should
be
spent on safeguards
than people are worth! Appraisers
coolly value human lives like so
many pieces of property.
Everything and everyone seems
to have a price. Given the age we
live in, perhaps we humans have
little choice in the matter.
But should the worth of a human
being be valued solely in economic
terms? Do not humans have intrin–
sic worth quite apart from "filthy
lucre"? Can one put a price on
human dignity?
The answer depends on whether
there is a God.
If
God made us in
his image our ultimate value sud–
denly becomes incalculable. But if
man is merely the product of a for–
tuitous accident, then perhaps he is
disposable- and without any last–
ing value.
If
man is only a bl ind–
chance ar rangement of complex
molecules, then perhaps his true
worth should be measured in eco–
nomic terms.
lt
used to be said that the purely
physical properties of the human
body were only worth a pitifully
small sum of money. But in recent
years a University of Washington
animal researcher has challenged
that thinking. Daniel A. Sadoff has
said that "the current market value
of all enzymes, hormones, minerals
and ot her chemical s a nd com–
po und s in the body actually
exceeds $1 million"
(Geo,
Septem–
ber 1983).
There is, however, no practica!
way to convert that worth into
cash- that is, aside from the price
of a pint of blood o r donated
organs.
But even a million dollars or a
million pounds a head is peanuts if
there is a God and he made human–
kind in his image. It is time we take
32
a look at the revealed knowledge in
the biblical record.
In the lmage of God?
In the creation account, "God said,
'Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness .. .' " (Gen. 1:26,
Revised Standard Version through–
out) . This was not said about any
other mammal- or bird or sea
creature. Only about man.
Continue: "So God created man
in his own image, in the image of
God he c reated him; mate and
female he created them" (verse 27).
No sex discrimination here. Men
and women are of equal value in
God's sight- notwithstanding nec–
essary biological role assignments in
this world (see Ephesians 5:21-32).
At the onset of man's creation,
God makes it absolutely clear that
men and women are of great value.
Humankind has the potential to
rule over the earth and everything
in it (verse 28).
But the Bible reveals much more.
King David ruled ancient Israel
for 40 years. But he was much more
than a king. He composed the words
and music of many wonderful songs.
David has been called "the sweet
psalmist of Israel" - "a man after
God's own heart"- "one who ruled
justly in the fear of God"- and al!
for good reason. This ancient king
possessed unique insight into God's
plan and purpose for mankind.
King David wrote: "What is man
that thou art mindful of him, and
the son of man th!lt thou dost care
for him? Yet thou hast made him
little less than God, and dost crown
him with glory and honor. Thou
hast given him dominion over the
works of thy hands; thou hast put
all things under his feet" (Ps. 8:4-
6).
David reveals that men and
women are made in the image of
God-albeit a little lower than God
for the present. God is eterna! and
immortal ; man is physical and mor–
tal. Yet he is to rule with God over
all of Ood's creation and to be
crowned with glory and honor.
H is potential is incredible. His
worth incalculable. His existence
priceless!
Man' s Present Plight
One of Job's friends said, "Man
drinks iniquity like water." How
poetically true. Man is the one visi–
ble lawless element in an organized
earth. Left to himself, and under
the sway of an invisible devil, he
would destroy everything in sight.
Nothing in God's creation would be
safe.
Man is even estranged from the
works of his own hands. Take a
fairly recent news report from
The
Wa/1 Street Journal.
The t itle cap–
tion reads: "Filthy Humans Pose a
Majar C hallenge to Computer
Firms." The text itself goes on to
explain: "At rest a person sheds at
least l 00,000 particles a minute of
flaking flesh, saliva, hai r sprays,
rouge, dried shaving cream, dan–
druff, droplets, Unt, sodium and
dead mouth's tissue. With slight
movement the same person sheds
500,000 par ticles. Slow walking,
five million. Exercising, 30 mil–
lion."
Sounds filthy-and it is! No
wonder the apostle Paul referred to
"our vile bodies" in comparison to
the spirit'-composed bodies we shall
receive.
The Wall Street Joúrnal
report–
er Erik Larson says that human
body particles are causing comput–
ers problems. He writes that "each
particle is capable of destroying a
semiconductor ci rcuit, the 'chip'
that makes computers think."
R. Michael Starnes, a vice-presi–
dent at Cypress Semiconductor
Corporation, said: "My conclusion
as an engineer was the human was
so fi lthy it was pointless to try to
clean him up." Air showers have
been tried. Expensive clean rooms
have been constructed. Anything to
clean a human being up.
Cont inues the insight ful
Journal
article: "Semiconductor companies
worry about people, the gum they
chew, the colds they get, the make–
up they wear, the speed with which
they move. These things all mean
trouble for sem iconductors.
... Particles mean defects, and
defects cut right · into company
profits" (
WSJ,
J anuary 3, 1985).
Now we return to the nub of the
matter. Money. Profits. Mammon.
Materialism. Human bodies cut
into company profits. About now
we don't seem worth a whole lot.
But let's not get hung up on
short-term thinking. Only when we
(Continued on page 36)
The PLAIN TRUTH