Trade Offs Or

"Well, you can look at it this way," the Realtor tells the young couple looking for their first home. "You can buy a new home...you have a large payment up front, but what you see is what you get. No need to replace the roof, the water system-- heating-- all--everything is new. On the other hand, if you buy a cheaper older home...a fixer upper...you pay less for the house, but you will need to spend money fixing up things. If you don't want to spend the time--or money--fixing up an older home, the new house is the way to go. Of course the older home often has more character, but will require more--elbow grease. It's a trade off. It depends on what you are willing...or not willing...to do."

Trade offs, they come in all sizes, shapes, and forms. Not all of them are in houses.

Auctions. My husband likes to go to farm auctions. There is usually all sorts of items from big farm machinery, to the junk tables-- with tools some modern and some ancient-- sold individually or in cardboard boxes. Sometimes there is a real treasure in a box full of--junk.

"Mom, look at this!" one of the kids has found a real 'bargain' advertised in the paper. "Only $49.99, just look!"

"Whoa, Nellie! Just wait a minute. Let's talk about the 'just $49.99' for a minute," I begin my 'real life' training session on the spot. "First off, do you remember those hot days of summer, and how many hours in the truck garden you spent to earn 'just $49.99'? And remember that $49.99 is really $50.00, -- $49.99 is an advertising ploy to make people think it's less money than it really is. It's $50.00--more with tax...so what are you willing to trade your work, sweat, and time for?"

There are many things that promise to bring happiness. Many things that we hope will bring happiness. I quote C.S. Lewis when he said: "All that we call human history--money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery-- {is} the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy" end quote.

"I just feel snacky today," my son laments.

"Yes, I know the feeling. I'm not really hungry, and I don't really want any 'thing', I just want some 'thing'...I just don't know what," I empathize.

"The long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy"-- That often is our problem. We are looking for some thing that will make us happy, but we don't look in the right place...we look every where and in everything else.

Deuteronomy 8:11 Beware lest thou forget Jehovah thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his ordinances, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: 12) lest, when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; 13) and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; 14) then thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget Jehovah thy God, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage;

"I think the kids from the United States would all benefit from a trip to Mexico, or a similar country," my daughter says.

"I agree, It would sure help them see things differently than they do," I say.

"What is different here?" I ask my husband as we are driving down the street in our capital city.

"What do you mean?" he's puzzled.

"Well...look...what do you see," and we're both quiet. We drive past an athletic field with its nice green turf, several yards away there are nice houses, and a little further along a clean, neat housing development.

"So? What's your question?" he asks.

"Look at the difference between here...and say Mexico, or Jamaica. You drive down the street--most of their streets aren't this wide--there are people walking, riding bicycles... or some kind of cycles...there are street vendors, or shops... and quite often there is junk...junk yards, trash scattered as well as...well, you know what I mean. " I try to explain.

But wait--

"We need to send those people some money," the man has just returned from some kind of mission trip. "You should see their homes--the way they live--it's just unbelievable!"

"Are they happy?" my husband asks.

"Well, yes they are," his acquaintance admits.

"Then leave them alone."

Why do we think that our way of life is the only way of life? Why do we think that money will solve people's problems? We are told to preach--and teach-- the gospel. Give them the opportunity for salvation of their souls. What a true treasure!

Matthew 13:22 And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

"The people of the village plant their crops," we are watching as a friend is explaining his last preaching trip to Africa. "This picture shows them as they harvest."

"They do that all by hand?!" a visitor (who is also a modern day farmer in the states here) is incredulous. "We should send them a combine...or at least a tractor!"

Our friend tries to explain how ridiculous either one of those items would be for the people of the village. Our friend knows...

He knows that poverty of the spirit is far worse than poverty of the surroundings. He knows that people--all people-- can have an abundance of the physical things, yet if they have forgotten--or don't know God--they have nothing--nothing worth while.

Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

1Timothy 6:9 But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. 10) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.


No, it isn't money itself, it's the love of money, but so many times money and the love of money follow as the night does the day. How many people endure, and are happy, being poor. Then they hit the jack pot-- and are miserable-- and fall into sin-- and their lives fall apart.

Life is a series of decisions, of trade offs, if you will. Reaching after physical riches, people become spiritually poor--there is a price to pay. Reaching after spiritual riches we always become rich--spiritually--and sometimes even physically, but we need to keep our priorities in the right order.

1Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Don't trade your real treasure for a mouthful of gravel...or less.

Philippians 3:7 Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ....
12) Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus.... 14) I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Hallelujah! What a Saviour!