On May 24, 1626, the island of Manhattan was bought by Peter Minuit, of the Dutch West India Company, for goods worth 60 guilders. Ten years after the purchase of Manhattan, a rare tulip bulb (Violetten Admirael van Enkhuizen) was bought for 5,200 guilders. Yet the value of Manhattan is now beyond estimation, while the tulip bulb bought at such great expense lost almost all its value within a few months.
As Manhattan and the tulip bulb demonstrate, it’s difficult to value something correctly without knowing what the future holds. In the Bible we find both an investment opportunity and the information we need to value it rightly. Jesus says, “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:35). In other words, by entrusting your life to Jesus—investing everything you are and have in him—your life will be saved for ever.
What Jesus offers through his death and resurrection is far more precious than all the real estate of Manhattan. Where do you stand with him?
Sixty Guilders is an occasional blog by Nick Howard
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