A WORD FOR TODAY, September 16, 2021
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, September 16, 2021
“Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s foes will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me isn’t worthy of me. He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10:34-39, WEB
Free? What's the catch? We get mail in our post box almost every day advertising a “FREE GIFT.” We see the same advertisements in the newspaper. Our first impulse is to read the small print. After all, there is no such thing as a free lunch. What do we have to do to get the free gift? What 900 number must be called? Do we need to buy $1000 worth of garbage? Will we have to commit to a two-year lease at a condo in South Florida?
A dear friend came to our house one day with something she purchased. She saw it in the store, thought of me and wanted me to have it. “Why?” I asked. “I thought you would enjoy having it,” she answered. “How much do I owe you?” I asked. “Nothing, it is a gift,” she said. “Thank you,” I said, but then I tried to think of something nice I could do to “pay her back.” After all, if she gave me something she must want something in return, right?
I’m not so sure that everyone feels that way anymore. As a matter of fact, many people expect the free lunch, the free gift, the free anything. They are so sure they deserve it that they are boldly demanding it from others. There is a whole category of “workers” who call themselves “influencers.” These people have taken to social media with a confidence that is stunning. They send out messages to businesses and seek collaboration. That means that the business sends product or offers services for free and in exchange the social media influencer will post pictures and glowing reviews so that the business will get “likes” and possibly business from their recommendation.
One particularly audacious influencer sent a request to a top hotel in a foreign country with their offer. This influencer had a few thousand followers over multiple platforms. The hotel’s social media reach far exceeded the influencer’s. What good would a few clicks on some relatively unknown person on the internet do for the most popular hotel in a region? Would it be worth thousands of dollars of freebees? The hotel owner asked the influencer about all the people who serve them during their free vacation. “What will the maid who cleans your room gain from this? What about the farmer whose food you will eat in our restaurant? The receptionist who checks you in? The bellhop who carries your luggage? Will they feed their family with the ‘likes’ you promise?”
These influencers think their promises deserve whatever they want from everyone they ask. They expect the free gift. When they are rejected, they get angry and threaten that their negative reviews will destroy their business. The businesses they target are rarely uncharitable. As a matter of fact, I suspect most of them would give free items to the right people. Most businesses are generous to donate to charities. They give discounts to help people in need. We can’t demand or expect it from them, especially when the request is not coming from someone with wrong motives.
God is looking for influencers. He is looking for people who will share His grace on social media and in their daily lives. He wants witnesses and He has given the greatest gift to those who are willing to shout His Good News from the mountain tops. His salvation is free. I thought my friend would expect something in exchange for her gift, but God has no expectation. Yet, His salvation is not cheap. We are reminded by the Cross that Jesus died to win our forgiveness and restore our relationship with our Father. That is the greatest cost of all.
We are also reminded, however, that though the gift is free it isn’t cheap in another way. Jesus calls us to follow Him, to take up our cross and follow Him. Life in Christ is not easy. It is not perfect. It is filled with unexpected difficulties, costs. We might be persecuted, even by our family. We might lose our jobs. We might lose our friends. We will still experience sickness and death. The price we pay for this free gift could be martyrdom. The blood of many Christians over the past two thousand years, including today, testifies to this truth. But the gift of Jesus’ sacrifice is greater than anything we can do or will experience through our faith in Him. His grace is reason to become an influencer for Him, even if it means nothing good will come of it in this life because we will find true life in Him forever.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org.
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