The Trade that Changes Everything
Well, welcome in, friend. I’m real glad you decided to come trottin’ on up to this ol’ front porch today. I was sittin’ here sippin’ my hot tea and watchin’ a big ol’ bullfrog sittin’ on the edge of my birdbath like it was ponderin’ the mysteries of the universe. That there lil’ ol’ critter blinked real slow, puffed out its chest, and looked more serious than a serious deacon countin’ the church offerin’. And right then I thought, “Now, that ol’ frog knows somethin’ about honesty.” Which brings us to Romans 3:23, “For everyone has sinned. We all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” That there verse is the great equalizer. It reminds us that every one of us is hopin’, croakin’, and jumpin’ our way toward grace.
In Luke 18:18-23, a religious leader came to Jesus askin’ the right question. “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus took him straight to the commandments, not because the law saves us, but because it plum shows us our own real reflection. God’s law is a moral mirror, and friend, it don’t never lie to us. It shows every smudge, every stumble, every place we git to fallin’ short. And this here fella, bless his lil’ heart, said he had kept all those commandments since he was young. That’s when Jesus gently pressed on the one place he was not honest. “Sell all you have, give to the poor, then come follow Me.” And that there man walked away feelin’ real sad because he loved his stuff more than he loved his Savior.
Here’s another verse that also fits this moment like a glove. Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” That there religious leader didn’t lose eternal life because Jesus turned him away. He lost it because he wouldn’t face the truth about himself.
Friend, so many folks think happiness will come when they strike it rich, win the lottery, or finally get what they’ve been chasin’. But as George Bernard Shaw said, “There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want. The other is getting it.” Only Jesus satisfies. Only Jesus saves. And eternal life begins when we admit we have sinned, believe Jesus died for us, and repent from our sins.
Lord, help me be honest with You and with myself. Show me where I cling to the wrong things. Give me courage to confess, strength to repent, and a heart that follows You fully. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Alright, mercy, friend, bury this here truth way down deep in your heart before you head back out to your daily chores today. Chasin’ happiness without Jesus is like a possum tryin’ to outrun its own shadow. It just can’t be done. Riches may be sparklin’ like fireflies at dusk, but they plum fade away real fast. Only Christ offers the kind of treasure that really lasts. Lift your chin, open your hands, and remember that the Savior who calls you to Him is also the very same Savior who forgives you, frees you, and fills you with the eternal life that never ever runs dry.
With joy,
Gwen
