Trade

Heard at lunch tables in elementary schools everywhere are these familiar words..."hey wanna trade."

To the horror of a mom who lovingly packed the lunch, her son "trades" a red apple for a cellophane wrapped chocolate cupcake.

We make a lot of "trades" in our life. We "trade" work hours for a pay check at the end of the week.

We "trade" long hours of study for a degree.

We "trade" time over coffee for the opportunity to influence someone to think about the Kingdom.

I have been thinking about that word, I have been reflecting on other words with similar meanings, words like "swap" and "exchange."

I have also been thinking about a new definition for the word "salvation."

It's pretty simple...almost ashamedly so.

Salvation arrives when I "trade" my story for His Story. There it is. Pretty simple.

What do you think?

"Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for? Mark 8:34 (The Message)

"Wanna trade?" I am not qualified to put words in God's mouth, but I wonder how often He says to us, "wanna trade" the life you are living for the life I can give?

What do you think?