January 19, 2009
Sweet Deal
I recently had a role in offering an organization a deal they just couldn’t refuse. The problem is it’s such a good deal that they can’t refuse it. In a sense they were safe until a good offer was on the table. Now they’re scrambling to come up with a logical and politically acceptable reason to turn down the offer. God offered mankind a deal in Jesus Christ that we just couldn’t refuse…yet every day people come up with logical and politically acceptable reasons for turning Him down.
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Gail;
-----It is hard for me to wrap my head around the concept of wanting to turn down a deal that is too good to refuse. It makes me wonder if there is a difference between the two parties’ perceptions of what is good. My understanding of “good” is when the value offered to the offeree significantly exceeds the price expected from him. So it is hard for me to understand someone actually wanting to turn down a good deal. You might point out that the deal could be great for the offeree but for the fact it does not fit his present circumstances. However, the offeree’s circumstances should be a factor within his assessment of the offer’s desirableness. If it does not fit his circumstances, it should not be desirable.
-----Life comes at you fast in this world. In order to keep up with the Jones’s, and especially to get ahead of them, you have to know your stuff, keep it in order, and pull it out of its bag almost spontaneously when needed. Knowing your stuff includes knowing its values, since there will often be someone dickering for it, or you my come across a deal you can’t refuse and need quickly to grab something for pay. The pace of life tends us towards being knowledge heavy and contemplation light. Usually, deals are not tabled for long, and you have to grab them while they are there. Those who sit around and hmm and ha and have to contemplate the deal’s effect upon every angle of the universe will not table his pay quick enough to go home with the goods. They loose.
-----But maybe they don’t. Jesus’ value is not inherently seen within the transactions of the world. In fact, His value flows somewhat counter to this course of ordinary business. Now, I certainly don’t mean the business world is evil. Jesus value flows intuitively counter; you’ve got to think backwards to see it. The business world is about self-responsibility, which is not totally bad, for each of us must put the spoon to our own mouths, pull on our own socks, and wash our own faces. Jesus is about responsibility to God, to others, and to self. That responsibility does not exclude the business world, but draws it into the broadest universe that includes God as well. So then, God becomes one of the circumstances that must be factored into determining the desirability of the goods, services, and opportunities offered to us. That factor tends to shut down a lot of markets.
-----So when Jesus is offered to people, His counter-intuitive nature is not difficult to detect. It just sort of has a head-wind quality that is naturally discernable by the wrong-way walkers. They know their business deals would become limited. That’s part of the price. But they do not know the broadest universe from where He comes, that‘s part of the offer. It will be the greatest disappointment to the knowledge heavy contemplation light folks. I was contemplative enough in my younger years to have seen the great deal Jesus was, so I began paying the price; I am still paying the price; I will pay the price until I die, and I will never even begin to pay up its full value. But I still get what’s offered. That’s why its such a good deal.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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