I have a friend who gave me a pen for my birthday. 

It has my name inscribed on it. It feels solid, heavy, and durable. The pen manufacturer even offers a Lifetime Guarantee. If it malfunctions, I can mail it back to them and they’ll repair it for me, good as brand new.

          How much does the pen cost? 

P2000. 

Most of my pens are P20 each–so that’s expensive for me.

But I had the shock of my life when two months ago, I gave a talk in a company, and in gratitude, they gave me a pen worth P20,000.

          The price was ridiculous to me. I couldn’t believe it. I showed it to my wife and asked her, “What makes this pen worth P20,000? Will it solve my personal problems?”

“No, it won’t,” she said.

“Will it solve world hunger? Climate change? The plight of penguins in the Antartica?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Will the pen make me earn passive income?”

“I doubt it.”

“Will it make me more handsome, as if that’s possible?”

“You can’t improve perfection, Dear…” (After 14 years, I’ve successfully brainwashed my wife.)

“So, what can this P20,000 pen do?” I asked her.

“I have a strong suspicion that it can write…”

       “Wow. That’s…uh, amazing.”

After our conversation, I did some research on the Internet. Here’s what I found out: The technology that made the P2000 pen is exactly the same technology that made the P20,000 pen.

       There’s only one difference…

1. The Manufacturer Sets the Price

       The difference is the Manufacturer.

Manufacturer of Pen A decided, “This is worth P2000.” And Manufacturer of Pen B decided, “This is worth P20,000.”

The Manufacturer sets the price. The Manufacturer determines the value. The Manufacturer defines the worth.

Manufacturer B says, “I only make P20,000 pens. So this is a P20,000 pen.”

I’ve got news for you. God is your Manufacturer. 

And He tells you now, “You’re not worth P20,000. You’re not worth P20 million or P20 billion or P20 trillion or P20 gazillion. You are worth all of Heaven, because I disrobed my Divinity and became a baby in manger. You are worth all the mountains and hills and valleys and oceans, because you’re the Masterpiece of my Creation. You are worth all the stars and galaxies combined together, because you’re more beautiful than this entire universe. You are worth every drop of my blood, because I gave my life on the Cross.”

Because you’re valuable…

2. Protect What Is Valuable

Imagine if a stranger comes along and says, “Bo, may I borrow a pen?” I don’t know the guy from Adam.

Tell me, will I give him my P2000 pen or my P20,000 pen?

Of course, I’ll give him my P20 pen!

But when he gets my pen, he manhandles it. He pounds it on the table, complains it doesn’t write, and starts hitting it like it was a drumstick.

He returns it to me, broken, and asks, “Do you have another pen?

Question: Do you think I’ll give him my P2000 pen or P20,000 pen?

Over my dead body!

Because I know how much the pen is worth, I’ll guard it. I won’t let anyone abuse it. 

In fact, I’ll put it in a nice case. I’ll keep it in my bag. I’ll shine it and protect it.

In the same way, you now know how much you are worth. So care for yourself. Guard yourself. Protect yourself. Preserve yourself. Build your Boundaries! Give yourself the gift of limits. Don’t abuse yourself and don’t allow anyone to abuse you.

Love yourself!

3. You Come With a Lifetime Guarantee

Only things of great value come with Lifetime Guarantees. My P20 pen doesn’t have a Lifetime Guarantee.

But you, because you’re valuable, come with a Lifetime Guarantee. When you malfunction, you can go back to the Manufacturer anytime, and He’ll repair you. He’ll fix you up. He’ll make you brand new.

Which reminds me of a story my friend Pio told me.

One day, Pio’s American brother-in-law Doug stayed in his house. Being hospitable, Pio and his wife Bebot gave Doug the master’s bedroom. (By the way, Filipinos have a difficult time pronouncing Doug’s name. He always feels like a pet.)

One morning, Pio was in the master’s bedroom, tidying up. That was when he was shocked to see, thrown in the trashcan, Doug’s watch. He picked it up and brought it to Doug.

“Doug,” Pio said, “your watch accidentally fell on the trash can…”

Doug said, “Pio, it’s not working anymore. I threw it away.”

Pio was taken aback. He said, “Doug, you’re in the Philippines. We can repair this watch.”

Doug shook his head and said, “I don’t want to repair it. I threw it away. Look, if you want it, it’s yours!”

Pio said, “Thanks!” He then turned around, placed his hand over the watch, and prayed over it. “Shalalala…..” He shook it and placed it near his ear–and voila–it started to work again!

When Pio told me this story, I realized how blessed I am that God is like Pio, not like Doug.

If God were like Doug, I would be in the trash bin by now. How many times have I malfunctioned? How many times have I failed? How many times have I sinned?

But God refuses to throw me away.

He insists on repairing me. Because when He created me, He gave me a Lifetime Guarantee.

Friend, you’re valuable to God.

And He won’t throw you away.

He will keep you forever. I have loved you with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)

Keep Him forever in your heart as well.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

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