Saturday, November 15, 2014
Wouldn't Trade Ya
In fiction, Tom Sawyer was crafty enough to get his comrades
to give him their treasures for a chance to help whitewash his Aunt Polly's
fence. In history, Dutch colonist, Peter
Minuit was credited with purchasing the island of Manhattan from the native Americans
in exchange for traded goods valued at 60 guilders, in 1626. Both of these
transactions turned out to be great deals.
In real life, many readers may have first entered the marketplace of
bargaining when they pulled something out of their lunch box, turned to a
classmate and said, "Trade
ya."
To oversimplify life, everything is a trade out. We give our time and skills to our employer for
a paycheck. We give time and commitment
to our friends and family in order to be a part of their lives. We pledge monthly payments for the use of a
house or a car. We take the time and
effort to shower in order to enjoy good hygiene. We adjust our diet in hopes of maintaining
good health. We trade.
Then, usually through painful experiences, we learn that there
are those who are eager to swindle us... to get us to make a bad trade. We find out there are no free lunches and
that you get what you pay for. We learn
the odds are against us when it comes to things like carnival games, cheap
furniture and the lottery. In short,
wise people learn when to not to make the trade.
Life affords all of us some things that are too valuable to
trade. They are priceless things that we
can all attain and hold on to no matter our culture, economic status, intellect
or abilities. They are so prized that
the enemy of our souls makes it his business to steal and to destroy these
assets. Using tools such as the world system, jealousy, fear, public opinion,
and peer pressure, the enemy will try to get us to trade:
·
Real, fulfilling intimacy for cheap sex
·
Character for popularity
·
A sound mind and healthy brain for drugs and
alcohol
·
Truth for a convenient philosophy
·
Selflessness for narcissism
·
A genuine relationship with God for religion
But, as the greatest teacher
who ever lived once said, "And
what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is
anything worth more than your soul?" (Matthew 16:26 NLT) As Thanksgiving Day approaches I am
reminded of all the important things I have been given and that only I can
trade away. This is the time of year I
will savor the best things in life; things like integrity, morality, civility,
community and honesty. Whenever I
perceive that something or someone is bidding for these treasures , I will
stiffen my resolve and respond, " I would't trade ya - not for the whole
world."
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