There's No Such Thing as a Free Toy!

When I go home to Toledo, OH odds are I'm going to run into my nephew Kayden. Usually, when I'm there, he becomes like my shadow. He wants to go where I go, play video games with me, be taken to the park. Things which usually are greeted with "NO." However, I've sometimes had to take him to the grocery store with me. Now, if you don't have a kid, a niece/nephew, or godchild that you're forced to cart around from time to time, you may be unaware that the grocery store has a toy section. You might miss it because you go there for (gasp!): FOOD. I would think toys are for Toys R Us, Walmart, or Target...it is not for your neighborhood Giant (or in Toledo's case: Kroger). But it's there, and kids know EXACTLY where it is. So, I've taken Kayden to the grocery store with me enough that we have a routine. It goes something like this:

Kayden: Tis?
Me/Tis: What?
Kayden: Buy me a free toy? PLEASE!

PAUSE - Of course, a child doesn't see it, but there was something ridiculously oxymoronic in his very question. You see it right? UNPAUSE

Me/Tis: What have I told you?!
Kayden (with sad eyes filled with disappointment): You're broke!
Me/Tis: Umm...no, the OTHER thing
Kayden (grumbling, with understanding and even more disappointment): There's no such thing as a free toy.

Once he has made this admission, we go into the toy section where he has ONE MINUTE to pick out a toy, which is usually a Star Wars action figure (there are storm trooper heads all over my mom's house).

SO WHAT?

That's right. I'm a thief. But for real...so what?

Well, I decided to share this story, because this morning as I was praying, I said:

"And I thank you Lord, for this free gift of salvation..."

The words weren't even completely out of my mouth when I thought of me and Kayden in the grocery store haggling over toys, which might have seemed free to him, but that I actually have to pay for. It was like this was happening:

Me: Thanks for the free salvation God!
God: What have I told you?!
Me (with hope in my eyes and a mischievous grin): That you freely give me all things?! (Romans 8:32)
God: The other thing.
Me (with understanding): That you gave your only begotten son, that He was...in fact, a "ransom" for me. (John 3:16 and Mark 10:45)


Disclaimer: I'm saying it was LIKE this happened. Not that I heard the audible voice of God. Not that I'm saying a person can't hear the audible voice of God, I'm just saying that I have not been so lucky.

We've all heard sermons about "costly grace." It's real. It may seem free to me, but it cost a LOT. And of course I know that Jesus died for my sins, but I never thought of it in the simple terms of "there's no such thing as a free toy." I liked it, and thought I'd blog about it.