The Bargain Bin
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
In almost every store there is a special section of merchandise which normally has greatly reduced prices. Now personally, I don’t care much for shopping, but when I come to this area in a store I am always intrigued and attracted to it. Partly because I am basically a cheapskate and partly because it reminds me of something which is dear to my heart. The area I’m talking about is the bargain bin. The bargain bin is normally a rather odd collection of merchandise from all over the store. Store managers will almost always give a word of caution on the bargain bin. They will write “AS IS” with a thick black marker in large letters so no one can miss their warning. It’s a euphemistic way of saying,“Caveat Emptor - Let the Buyer Beware.” The bargain bin is filled with damaged goods. Sometimes they are called “slightly irregular.” Sometimes, to make it sound more appealing they are called, “discounted items.” But no matter what it’s called, the store is declaring, “This is the department of something’s-gone-wrong.” In the collection of material in the bargain bin you will find merchandise that is somehow flawed. There might be dented cans, cracked crackers, or unpopular cookies that are real close to outliving their shelf life but are still edible. The bread might still be fresh but a little squished. A label might be partly missing on a jar of olives. Or you might just find discontinued items the store wants to get off its shelves at a discounted rate. If it’s a department store, there might be a sweater that’s missing a button, a coat with a broken zipper, a shirt with a thread that’s been pulled, or a package that someone opened and returned with a lousy tape job when they attempted to reseal the box. The challenge for the consumer of course is to discover where the flaw is. The store doesn’t tell you that. You have to find that out for yourself. Sometimes the damage is visible Sometimes it isn’t. So it’s something of an adventure to shop the bargain bin. Because in every case, once you buy something from the bargain bin, you own it. No returns. No exchanges. No refunds. You can’t come crying back to the store acting all surprised that the merchandise was damaged and you didn’t know it and you regret making the purchase. You’ve been warned. Shopping the bargain bin involves accepting a measure of risk. If you want the material – take the chance – pay the price – and it’s yours from that point on.
Now as I said above, I’m intrigued by bargain bins – partly because I like finding a good bargain but also because of what it brings to mind. Every time I see a bargain bin it reminds me of me. It reminds me of you. It reminds me of the world in which we live. We are a collection of slightly irregular, dented, and damaged people who live in a place where something’s gone terribly wrong. Some of us feel squished by the pressures of life. Some of us have thread-bare and unraveled hearts. Some of us have tried to tape up our lives as best we can after someone we cared about said we weren’t good enough for them any longer. Someone you loved may have taken you off of the top shelf of their life and discarded you for a newer or more improved model. Now you live in the bargain bin - feeling flawed - hoping someone will see that you still have value. Some of us have dents others can see quite easily. For others, the damage is a little deeper and not on the surface. But if anyone gave more than a superficial glance the damage would easily be exposed. We live in a place where something’s gone wrong. Terribly wrong. Sin has entered our world and our hearts. The damage it has done and is doing is undeniably catastrophic.
But God has demonstrated His love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Let that sink in for just a moment. While we were languishing in the bargain bin of this world God was lavishing us with His love. Jesus looked down at the brokenness and damage in our lives and he saw value. Valuable sons. Valuable daughters. Damaged? Yes. Flawed? Undoubtedly. But Valuable? More than any of us could ever understand. He looks at each one and says, “What a find! You are priceless!” But here’s where the metaphor breaks down – because he doesn’t get to redeem us at a cheap price. In fact he does the exact opposite of what normally takes place at the bargain bin. He pays the highest price possible for goods that are damaged the most. He sacrificially gave himself on the cross so that every person in the bin would understand that in His eyes, you are absolutely priceless. His greatest passion is for you is to become a recipient of His grace and love. He wants you to know that every damaged area can be repaired as you trust him and follow his guidelines for your life. His promise is that once you accept Him as Lord and Savior, you are His forever – for he has paid the price in full to redeem you from this broken world.
So the next time you pass the bargain bin in a store – let it remind you that we are all damaged goods in one way or another. Let the bargain bin preach a message of God’s great love for you. The next time you pick up a dented can and place it in your cart, be mindful that’s exactly what Jesus has done for you. From one dented can to another, I encourage you to believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead for your salvation and confess Him as your Lord - and you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
In almost every store there is a special section of merchandise which normally has greatly reduced prices. Now personally, I don’t care much for shopping, but when I come to this area in a store I am always intrigued and attracted to it. Partly because I am basically a cheapskate and partly because it reminds me of something which is dear to my heart. The area I’m talking about is the bargain bin. The bargain bin is normally a rather odd collection of merchandise from all over the store. Store managers will almost always give a word of caution on the bargain bin. They will write “AS IS” with a thick black marker in large letters so no one can miss their warning. It’s a euphemistic way of saying,“Caveat Emptor - Let the Buyer Beware.” The bargain bin is filled with damaged goods. Sometimes they are called “slightly irregular.” Sometimes, to make it sound more appealing they are called, “discounted items.” But no matter what it’s called, the store is declaring, “This is the department of something’s-gone-wrong.” In the collection of material in the bargain bin you will find merchandise that is somehow flawed. There might be dented cans, cracked crackers, or unpopular cookies that are real close to outliving their shelf life but are still edible. The bread might still be fresh but a little squished. A label might be partly missing on a jar of olives. Or you might just find discontinued items the store wants to get off its shelves at a discounted rate. If it’s a department store, there might be a sweater that’s missing a button, a coat with a broken zipper, a shirt with a thread that’s been pulled, or a package that someone opened and returned with a lousy tape job when they attempted to reseal the box. The challenge for the consumer of course is to discover where the flaw is. The store doesn’t tell you that. You have to find that out for yourself. Sometimes the damage is visible Sometimes it isn’t. So it’s something of an adventure to shop the bargain bin. Because in every case, once you buy something from the bargain bin, you own it. No returns. No exchanges. No refunds. You can’t come crying back to the store acting all surprised that the merchandise was damaged and you didn’t know it and you regret making the purchase. You’ve been warned. Shopping the bargain bin involves accepting a measure of risk. If you want the material – take the chance – pay the price – and it’s yours from that point on.
Now as I said above, I’m intrigued by bargain bins – partly because I like finding a good bargain but also because of what it brings to mind. Every time I see a bargain bin it reminds me of me. It reminds me of you. It reminds me of the world in which we live. We are a collection of slightly irregular, dented, and damaged people who live in a place where something’s gone terribly wrong. Some of us feel squished by the pressures of life. Some of us have thread-bare and unraveled hearts. Some of us have tried to tape up our lives as best we can after someone we cared about said we weren’t good enough for them any longer. Someone you loved may have taken you off of the top shelf of their life and discarded you for a newer or more improved model. Now you live in the bargain bin - feeling flawed - hoping someone will see that you still have value. Some of us have dents others can see quite easily. For others, the damage is a little deeper and not on the surface. But if anyone gave more than a superficial glance the damage would easily be exposed. We live in a place where something’s gone wrong. Terribly wrong. Sin has entered our world and our hearts. The damage it has done and is doing is undeniably catastrophic.
But God has demonstrated His love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Let that sink in for just a moment. While we were languishing in the bargain bin of this world God was lavishing us with His love. Jesus looked down at the brokenness and damage in our lives and he saw value. Valuable sons. Valuable daughters. Damaged? Yes. Flawed? Undoubtedly. But Valuable? More than any of us could ever understand. He looks at each one and says, “What a find! You are priceless!” But here’s where the metaphor breaks down – because he doesn’t get to redeem us at a cheap price. In fact he does the exact opposite of what normally takes place at the bargain bin. He pays the highest price possible for goods that are damaged the most. He sacrificially gave himself on the cross so that every person in the bin would understand that in His eyes, you are absolutely priceless. His greatest passion is for you is to become a recipient of His grace and love. He wants you to know that every damaged area can be repaired as you trust him and follow his guidelines for your life. His promise is that once you accept Him as Lord and Savior, you are His forever – for he has paid the price in full to redeem you from this broken world.
So the next time you pass the bargain bin in a store – let it remind you that we are all damaged goods in one way or another. Let the bargain bin preach a message of God’s great love for you. The next time you pick up a dented can and place it in your cart, be mindful that’s exactly what Jesus has done for you. From one dented can to another, I encourage you to believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead for your salvation and confess Him as your Lord - and you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
posted by Larry | 7:28 PM
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