Thursday, November 3, 2011

What a Deal!

One day while crawling around in the attic of my house, I spotted a box that I didn’t recognize. The flaps of the cardboard box were folded shut so I couldn’t readily see its contents. From the amount of dust on the box, it was obvious the box had been up in the attic for years, many more years than I’d owned the house. My imagination immediately began to go into overdrive. What did the box contain? Some rare relic a past owner of my house had overlooked when he moved out? Maybe it would be like some of the treasures I’d seen people bring one of those shows like "Antiques Roadshow," and an expert would someday tell me it was worth a fortune. But then, what if it were a hidden treasure, could I keep it? Even if it was mine legally, would it be ethical to keep it or try to find its rightful owner?? There was only one thing to do...OPEN THE BOX! My heart skipped a beat or two as I blew some of the years of dust off the box. I opened the flaps of the box with one hand and held my flashlight with the other. Getting the box open, I slowly looked over the edge and saw a box nearly full of...old wallpaper. In fact, it was extra rolls of the same old dated wallpaper that my dear wife meticulously and mercifully tore off the walls when we moved in back in 2005. Wallpaper. I wouldn’t be visiting the Antiques Roadshow team anytime soon...

We all like the concept of hidden treasures. My father used to give me a dollar to buy a couple of Hot Wheels cars when I was a boy. Some of those same cars from the late 60's are worth hundreds and even thousands of dollars. Who would have thought it? I go to a lot of antique stores and flea markets, and I’m always seeing things that I remember from my childhood. Some are items that I owned at one time, now worth a small fortune. Now, I have to admit, when I go to an antique store or flea market, I’m a treasure hunter. I like to find the hidden gem. For instance, a month or so ago, I landed a practically new vacuum for a mere $15, and it was the famous eight-pound variety that Mr. Oreck is so proud of. I search and dig for bargains, more often than not finding something I happily take home, thinking I have a use for.

According to Webster, one of the definitions of the word bargain is "an advantageous purchase,"or getting something for less than its true value. 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells us that as Christians, we were "... bought at a price." And in Acts 20:28, we’re instructed to "...Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." Several other biblical references make it clear that Jesus bought and paid for our salvation with his death on the cross. Did Jesus get a bargain? No, but he wasn’t looking for a good buy, either. He was looking to do the will of his Father. He was looking to express his undeniable love for us. We are the ones that got the deal of a lifetime. For the price of saying yes to Christ, we receive an all-expense paid pathway to eternity with God. Have you claimed your treasure yet? What are you waiting for? The price has been paid, and this bargain can’t be beat.

I welcome your comments or questions at allterp@yahoo.com.

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