Day 26:  You Are Not For Sale

There is no debate, although we emerged from an imperfect medium, we are beautiful people. We have skills and talents. While on display in the world gallery, we gleam; some more brightly than others. There are spectators that pursue us and they come to purchase.

Do we sell?

Let us follow the principle. Have you ever seen those movies, when the rich man comes to buy the poor man’s property? Sometimes one party wants to sell, and the other does nt. If the poor man is in great financial debt, he is often pressured into selling. Some would sell. However, some would not; they rummage through the rough times until better comes. In another case, if you are broke and you have your grandmother’s antique treasure that is worth a couple hundred dollars, you would want to sell. Would you?  In the art gallery, artwork is sometimes on sale. Sometimes they are not on sale but buyers offer. In the music and dance industry, any musician or dancer would be delighted to reach the top, and so, producers offer. Similarly, while we are on display in the world gallery, offers will come.

Do we sell?

The ideal answer is, as long as we do not compromise the principles of the Bible, yes sell. The real answer is, many times we sell ourselves short because our faith is so weak. Challenges overwhelm us. Habits overtake us. Successes tease us. Impatience tempts us. Pride swells up in us. Society pressures us. So we sell. But sometimes, all we had to do was wait. It is not easy waiting when bills have to be paid and mouths have to eat. It is not easy when debtors come knocking at our doors. It is not easy to watch everyone get ahead of you, in their social, financial and professional life. It is not easy to lag behind, or sit on the shelf. It is so HARD to trust and wait. And when we think a superb offer comes, it is so EASY to sell. When you are deciding about an offer, I pray this story will help you to decide.

A little art sits on display in the store of a small town. It was such a lovely piece of work. When people visited the store, they could not help but admire the art. Children and adults alike loved the piece and it always uplifted their hearts. One day, a rich man came to town and offered to buy the art.  The store owner did not want to sell. The people did not want to see it go, but the offer was so great, who could refuse it? The store owner sold the art and it traveled across the seas to a bigger and better store.When the art work got to the huge store, it was hung in the rich man’s office. People came inside the office and loved the art. Eventually, the man died. A new manager came in, looked at the art and said “How quaint!” He removed the art and placed it in a corner of the store, where it did not receive as much appreciation as it did before. The new manager wanted to change the décor of the store and this art was old and out of tune with the new decorations. It was put on sale, but nobody bought it. It was about to be thrown out, when a young woman came just in time, and begged for the art. She had lived in the little town where the art had been hung for years, and when she learned that it was sold, she went in search of the art.

She knew the origins and the value of the art, because it was her hands that made the art. She took the art back to the store and hung it right there on the empty walls.

We can sell as much as we want to, we can rise to heights of success as much as we can, but we will always have to face our origins. We will always have to face the real person behind the mirror, because that is who we are. When old age sets in, we will have to retreat from the vanity of the world and consider if we have done right. In addition to that, and most importantly is that only those who know us best will go to the extreme to redeem us.

The Master Designer knows us best, and He already went to the extreme and bought us with a price so great that no success can pay for. No awards, Oscars, Emmys, honors, degree, can equate the price of the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ. When you think of that price already paid to redeem you, how can you sell yourself short? Wait on the Lord. Depend on Him for your needs. Do not sell yourself short.

While you are on display in the world gallery, buyers will come and offer. Offers will be lucrative, promising and profitable, but always ask yourself,  should I sell?

If Jesus is buying, sell Him everything. Sell him your heart, body, mind and soul.  If Jesus is not buying, then you are not for sale.

1 Corinthians 7: 23, “God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world.” (NLT).