You may have read this unusual story that was reported through the AFP news organization on Wednesday:

A 24-year-old man in Shanghai tried to sell his soul on China's most popular auction website and managed to get 58 bids before operators pulled his ad. The man posted his announcement on Taobao (a site similar to eBay) last week asking a starting price of 10 yuan ( 1.23 US dollars). But the company decided that selling one's soul was inappropriate and deleted the ad on Friday. By then there were 58 bids from people with the highest at 681 yuan (84 dollars). "We pulled down the posting because we think only God can control souls," said Taobao's public relations manager Tao Ran.

Why would a man agree to sell his soul for as little as a dollar and a quarter? The truth is, I'm not all that surprised because I know of others who were willing to sell their souls for a measly amount. Judas was willing to do it for thirty pieces of silver. For Achan (Joshua 7), it was a robe, five pounds of silver and a bar of gold. For Elisha's servant (I Kings 5), it was 150 pounds of silver and two sets of clothing. For Esau, it was a bowl of soup.

If you're willing to be even more honest, you know that there are people all around you who have sold their souls for something of little value. Maybe you've even done it yourself. Maybe you've spent so much time making money to gather "the finer things of life" that you have no time or energy left for God. Maybe you've cheated others (like the IRS or health insurance companies) thinking they'll never miss it and no one will ever be the wiser. Maybe your desire for riches has clouded your judgment and caused you to do something that has damaged your integrity.

Jesus once said,

"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"
(Matthew 16:26)

The question was intended to be rhetorical. There's nothing in this world (nor everything in the world combined) that begins to equal the value of your soul. Bill Gates and all of his fellow billionaires don't have enough money to even make an opening offer. So, don't ever put a price tag on your soul. Not on eBay. Not in your workplace. Not in your daily life.