Remember in elementary school when you were in the lunchroom and someone would trade you their roll for your chocolate pudding. Or, when you got those trading cards with the bubble gum in the pack and you’d trade the cards with your friends while chewing the gum until your jaws hurt. Well, in life there always seems to be a trade off. Nothing is free in this world. Someone somewhere pays the price.
In the Christian faith, salvation is a wonderful opportunity to make a great trade. We trade our sorrows, pains, sins, and failures with Christ and get everlasting life. But then, many go on to make poor trades.
Some people will sacrifice their integrity for their job and do whatever it takes to make it up the ladder, even when they have to compromise their beliefs. Some will sacrifice their character for popularity, even when it means crossing those boundaries drawn in the Bible . Some people will sacrifice their purity to have acceptance. Some people sacrifice quality time in relationships for time spent alone with a computer (and not always on wholesome websites). Some sacrifice their health for a “good time” with things that harm their bodies. These are all examples of some of the poor trades people make every day.
John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” In order to have life to the full, you have to make good trades and remember EVERYTHING comes with a price. Make sure you will not regret the price you are paying for the trades you are making and make sure you know who you’re trading with because Jesus isn’t the only one with plans for your life.