Look! Free Stuf!!

I went to the grocery store the other day to get some milk. The ad in the newspaper told me I could get a free gallon! I'm all over that! Everyone loves free stuff, right?

So I happily carried my gallon of free milk up to the check out counter where the checker lady told me I needed to pay $2.39.

"What? The ad in the paper said this milk was free." I begged.

"Well, sir, if you look down here at the bottom of the ad, in the small print, (she hands me a magnifying glass) it clearly states that the milk is indeed free . . . with the purchase of five additional gallons of milk."

Very few things are free in this world and, as I found out on THAT fictitious day, milk was not one of them.

Maybe it's my age and the wisdom that comes from six decades of world observation, but I cannot for the life of me understand the fascination with admitted socialist Bernie Sanders. And it's mainly the young! Why? That's actually easy to figure out. They like "free" stuff and they are idealistic. How do I know that? I felt the same way way when I was that age. But then something happened. I woke up when reality slapped me in the face.

Nothing is free in this world. So why do we always keep falling into the same old trap? Because we all like free stuff. Like a mouse and his cheese, our selfish desires lead to death (Romans 6:23).

Have you seen this meme on Facebook? Who's going to pay for all of the free stuff Bernie is promising? Go look in the mirror.

A few stories ago on this blog I wrote about the Acts 2 church and how they "had all things in common." A friend of mine pointed out that the early church was kind of an early day "commune" and wondered why communism never succeeded. I think it's because of one main reason.

The Acts 2 church gave to one another willingly with what they had. In present day communism and socialism, wealth is redistributed against the will of the majority of the people. That is why it fails. Why should we work hard to get ahead if our money is only going to be taken away from us and given to somebody else? Let's go to God's word.

"6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living." - 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12

Amen!

The only "free stuff" I know off that is actually totally free is God's gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Apart from that, we are given nothing for free. But even THAT free gift came with a cost when Jesus died on the cross. Let us all walk in Paul's advice to us. Let us work for what we receive. And let us rejoice in what we have been given.

Socialism vs. Capitalism (1979) - Milton Friedman, Donahue
Money For Nothing - Dire Straits - Wembley Stadium 1985