If you were offered some money – free with no strings attached – would you take it or leave it? Regardless of the amount? Would the natural mind say, “Yeah, I’d take it?” I applied that logic from a long-ago college psychology class. Our assignment was to go to a shopping mall and offer people money – a quarter to be exact. We were not to give any explanation; just observe the different reactions of people.
So, armed with $6.00 worth of quarters, I headed for Rosedale on a Saturday afternoon when I expected the greatest variety of shoppers – teens, serious shoppers, browsers, bargain hunters, older shoppers, and those in between. I realize a quarter is a mere pittance in today’s economy, nevertheless, I was surprised at how many people actually refused it. Out of the 24 people I approached, only one (an attractive woman with a ready smile and a bouncy step) accepted the coin. Most became suspicious. “What’s the catch?” some asked. Others shook their heads and didn’t even break their stride. Others were curious, but still did not accept my gift. One thought I wanted change for a quarter and offered me 2 dimes and a nickel.
Observable Behaviors ~
This experiment did not prove why people refused the money – whether it was pride, suspicion, integrity, not enough to make it worthwhile or whatever their reasoning – only the different, observable behaviors of human beings when offered a free gift.
But surely if the gift were priceless, people would accept it, right? But we still see this same human behavior of refusing a free gift even when there is not a price tag high enough to cover the value of it. For instance, what value would you place on your life? How about eternal life? What price would you put on that?
It defies all logic!
Eternal life is a gift of God! It cost Him the death of His only Son, but He offers it free to us. We can’t earn it. Our pride may reject it or our disbelief may refuse it. “What’s the catch?” some may ask. “No, thanks. I’ll do it my way,” others may scoff. It is a free gift! It costs us nothing! We only have to receive His son – to believe in His name. Jesus. If we believe, God give us the right to be called children of God and to live with Him for eternity. And yet, how many people still refuse the priceless gift of eternal life? It defies all logic!
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. Take it or leave it – the gift of eternal life – a free gift of love that Jesus paid for with His life and is given to those who believe.
John 3:16, John 1:12, Romans 6:23