The Auction
 

The Auction
"Well, kids, how did you like the auction?" asked Dad as the family headed for home after attending a community auction. It had been a first-time experience for Andy and Erica, and each had been given some money to spend.

"It was fun," replied Andy enthusiastically, "only . . . well, I wish I hadn't spent my money on that sausage stuffer. What will I do with it?"

Dad laughed. "I wondered that myself," he said, "but we had said you could spend your 'auction allowance' any way you wanted to."

"I really wanted the music box," said Erica wistfully, "but after I bought those books, my money was gone."

"One thing we learn at auctions is that we need to think before making a bid," observed Dad, "and I hope you'll apply that lesson to your life in general. Think before you act. Decide what your priorities are and act accordingly."

"Our what?" asked Erica.

"Priorities," said Dad. "The word 'prior' means 'before,' so your priorities are the things you put first in your life."

"If you had decided to make the music box your priority when it came to buying something at the auction, you would have saved your money to buy that," said Mom.

"And I should have made something other than that sausage stuffer my priority," said Andy. "It's not something I really want-I just thought it was interesting. Then when someone else started bidding, I got excited and started bidding, too. I guess I just didn't think."

Dad nodded. "Well, getting involved in the bidding and buying something you don't really want at the auction isn't so serious," he said, "but when we make bad choices in certain other areas of our lives, it can be very serious. Each day we choose between good or bad, better or best, pleasing God or pleasing people. If we listen to the wrong advice or make decisions too hastily, we sometimes make mistakes and then spend years paying for them-not with money, but with unhappiness and guilt."

"Remember that priorities are important," added Mom. "Think about it carefully, kids. What do you put first in life?"

HOW ABOUT YOU?
What is your priority-what do you want most in your life? Do you want to have a lot of money some day? A big house, speedy car, beautiful clothes, expensive jewelry? How about right now? Do you want to be popular? To have the right kind of clothes and hair cut? The best ipods and video games? To be a good athlete? God tells you what your priority should be-both now and later in life. (See today's verse.) Put Him first. He'll bless you when you do that.

TODAY'S KEY VERSE:
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33

Do we offer ourselves to the higher bidder? Do we look at things as non-conditional, and not up for discussion or negotiation. Are things contempt prior to investigation?

We don't auction our soul to the Devil! We continue to have a conscious contact with the God of our understanding. We open our mind and heart as to how He can work in our life. Do we have rose-coloured glasses, do we wear blinders because we do not want to see, do we miss out on blessings, because we are not open to them.

We limit our God by the label we put on Him. A label is just a label, and it means nothing, if we can't see beyond it. Just because I am an addict, doesn't mean I can't recover. I don't have to bargain for my recovery, I just have to live it clean and sober, clean house, live in today, and leave tomorrow in my God's Hands.

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