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Good morning. When great British inventions are celebrated, one very important one doesn’t always get a look in.Ìý It’s the postage stamp.Ìý And this week sees the anniversary of the British Penny Black, which was officially issued on the first of May in 1840.Ìý It is probably the most famous stamp in the world – and highly prized by collectors.Ìý

Apparently, over 68 million were produced, and most were used and thrown away, but the finest examples of the ones that survive can be worth thousands of pounds.

Which got me thinking about the whole business of what makes things valuable.

There are all sorts of reasons to enjoy and value things – usefulness, beauty, rarity. But what I find interesting is how the value, and certainly prices of things can change.ÌýÌý
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The original penny blacks were very useful – they revolutionised the way people communicated with one another.Ìý They were also actually rather beautiful in the simplicity of their design.Ìý But it wasn’t until they became rare that their price shot up.Ìý

And the contrast between the different ways we have of valuing things strikes me as pointing to a much more important and general issue.ÌýÌý There is so much in the world that is beautiful or useful but has no great monetary value.Ìý Jesus taught his disciples to look around them at the financially worthless flowers of the fields if they wanted to see real magnificence. They were matchless in their beauty but destined ultimately to be thrown away. I think that’s worth remembering when we are impressed by the spectacular prices of famous art works, or the costly possessions flaunted by some celebrities or the prices of rare stamps.

There is plenty in the world that’s beautiful, useful and freely available if we are willing to take the trouble to step back, look and appreciate it.

Father, open our eyes to the countless beautiful and useful things around us that we can freely enjoy for their own sake without worrying about what they cost.ÌýÌý Amen