I came across an interesting story on the Internet. It seems that the popular game show Family Feud, hosted by Steve Harvey, posed this question to its contestants, “Name something you would consider selling if the price is right.” The top answers are on a board and contestants try to guess what the most popular answers are. The questions are provocative as are the answers.
When Cecilia, spokeswoman for the Patterson family, responded with “sell your soul” Harvey chided one of the Patterson family members for clapping in support of her answer because he was a pastor. Cecilia’s answer was not among the top responses on the board. No one took her answer seriously, but I can remember a time when such matters were viewed with greater gravity.
The character in the classic German fable known as Faust was said to have made a deal with the devil and though he was a successful scholar he exchanged his soul to gain vast knowledge and unlimited pleasures. But the idea of selling one’s soul for material gain did not originate with the fabled Faust.
It comes from the very words of Christ, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37. Jesus considered the wealth of the whole world a fleeting and insignificant sum when compared with the eternal value of one’s soul.
Harvey asked Cecilia what she would be willing to sell her soul for and she laughingly responded “100 million dollars.” If such a transaction could be arranged I am sure Satan would readily pay her price, but she would eventually discover she sold herself too cheaply. Judas discovered that and he sold out for much less, thirty pieces of silver, a tidy sum to be sure but hardly a king’s ransom.
I wonder how often we as Christians sell out our convictions to make a profit, close a deal, secure another’s favor? Honestly, I know there have been times in my life when I have sold out, and almost every time it was for much less than thirty pieces of silver.
Thankfully Christians are subjects of a Kingdom where our King ransomed us. Earthly kings do not hesitate to ask their subjects to lay down their lives for them, but Christians are subjects of a Kingdom who’s King did not hesitate to lay down His life for us.
May we never forget that the grace and mercy extended to us from the Father so freely cost Christ everything. The truth is I cannot sell my soul, it is no longer mine. It was “bought with a price” and belongs to One who will never sell it.
“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation,” Revelation 5:9.
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