Mickey Starling
ECB Publishing, Inc.
By first grade, I was ready to enter the business world. My neighborhood friend was always good for teaching me something, especially early presidential history. This was due to the fact my friend and his father were named after U.S. presidents. It worked well for them, since their last name was Adams. The Dad was named rather curiously after Theodore Roosevelt, though there is no indication that Roosevelt was ever an Adams. The son fared better, having been named “John.”
Anyone who knows me may have noticed that I’m a big fan of boots. On one occasion, that got me into some trouble, even though I thought I had made the deal of the century. I was cruising the strip on my bright red tricycle when my buddy shows up, wearing an old pair of cowboy boots. It was simply more than I could bear, so I offered to trade my tricycle for the boots, which were conveniently only a size and a half too small for my feet.
I was one proud, although somewhat sore, cowboy when I came waltzing home with a bit of swagger in my new boots. My mother showed no sign of pride or approval at my latest acquisition and it didn’t take her long to completely reverse my carefully crafted transaction. I then got some long, drawn out dribble about apples and oranges and tit for tat and other useless information that was loosely tied to money.
I just wanted the boots and trading was the quickest way to get them. I did notice that even boots that are too small, feel much better when the left boot is on the left foot and vice versa. I found the pointed toes to be rather confusing when trying to put them on correctly.
In the end, I learned a vague lesson about economics and the importance of trading up. Apparently, a new tricycle was more expensive than a really old pair of boots. I’m glad that God trades like I do. He traded Heaven for Earth just to have the opportunity to make a deal with us. My guess is that what it cost Jesus to make me part of His family was worth a lot more than what I had to offer Him, so it wasn’t a fair trade. He just wants us and trading His perfection for our weakness made for a great transaction, especially for us.
Maybe you feel like an old pair of boots whose scuffs just won’t polish off, but feelings have no say in this divine transaction.
Having been made the righteousness of God through Christ and His death on the cross, God is now pleased and at peace with us. He even walks with some swagger of His own at the thought of having made us forever right with Him. Not a fair deal for Him but I’ll take it!
“For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross...”(Colossians 1:19-20).
You must be logged in to post a comment.