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Free but COSTLY!

I worked in a non-profit organization for almost 4 years of my career. In my tenure in this one non-profit, or social profit as we called it, I learned so many things. Somethings just snuck in when I didn't even know I learned them. 

As an Events Planner, one of the things l always looked at is how the cost of admission impacted attendance. I noticed that the most expensive events were sought after and highly regarded whilst the free or cheap ones were taken for granted. If that was the only thing I learned then it would have been easy to increase the prices to these events. However, we received complaints that the events, the same ones that were taken for granted because of the low entrance fee, were too expensive. Despite the complaints, I think a common thread is that people value things they pay for more than the things they receive for free. I believe King David shares the sentiment of paying for something in order to adequately appreciate and understand the value of it. But King David replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing." 1 Chronicles 21:24

The truth of the matter is salvation is a free gift but a very costly one! It cost God His only begotten son! It cost Jesus His life! And Jesus Himself tells us, in Luke 14, that being His follower will cost us. The same chapter gives us a warning or a heads up that choosing to follow Christ has a costly journey. This is by no means to elevate works over grace but to show the value of what we have been granted. The cost of following Christ can come in many shapes and forms. For some, it could be standing their ground for the truth when that is not the most popular choice. It could be losing their position in society due to the decision he/she made for the Lord. And the list goes on...I believe it is God's love and mercy that has allowed us to live in this costly grace. I think it is His way of allowing us to see a glimpse of what grace truly costs.

Might I add, this grace is only costly when you choose to live like Christ called you to live! I say this because like any free thing it is so easy to take our salvation and relationship with God for granted.  Could this be why the bible states the need to "Workout our Salvation" or that "We live in this world but we are not of it"?

When I used to live back home, I never once considered where my parents got the money they used to tend to my needs/wants. I just remember asking for things and they would pay for them. I completely took it for granted. Once I moved away and started fending for myself, I realized that I needed to work hard to earn the money that I will then spend. To my surprise money did not just grow on trees, LOL!

In that same token, the value some people place on expensive events is sometimes solely based on the price they paid for it. How then can we not value the Grace and Free gift of salvation we received? The payment for our sins is valued at a price we can not comprehend. It was COSTLY! I urge both you and me to live in such a way that reflects the sacrifice made on our behalf. How can we act/live like sons and daughters of the King? How can we be princes and princesses that have privileges but also responsibilities? What are some things we do, as Christians, that cheapen the value of Grace in our lives? Do we constantly forget what Christ had to go through for us? What can we do to remind ourselves?

Think about these words...

and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3: 24

Stay Blessed<3


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