Do you remember S&H Green Stamps? If not, let me tell you about them. When I was a child, S&H Green Stamps were hotter than Cadbury Eggs in April. Businesses would hang signs in their windows proudly advertising that they issued the valuable green stickers with every purchase. Merchants loved them because they enticed customers to spend more money in their stores. The more they spent, the more Green Stamps they received. Customers loved them because they could collect them and exchange them for free merchandise at the redemption center.
My grandmother Josephine was an avid stamp collector. Whenever I would go grocery shopping with her we couldn’t wait to hear the cashier ask, “Do you collect green stamps?” “Oh, yes!” she would reply, and our mouths watered as they were counted out. My job, after we got home, was to lick the backs of all those stamps and paste them in the collection books provided by the S&H people. Sometimes, I’d try to get creative and form a pattern of Green Stamp initials on a page until my grandmother caught me and reminded me that every page had to be completely covered. She would rubber band a few of the books together for me, hand me the Green Stamp catalog, and tell me to pick out a prize as a reward for causing all my food to taste like Green Stamp glue.
Our trip to the redemption center was like Christmas. I’d locate the toy I had selected from the catalog and eagerly hand my bundle of books to the lady behind the counter. She would flip through each one to be sure all the pages were covered, count the appropriate number of green stamps, and hand over my prize. It was a great feeling!
While going to that redemption center with my grandmother was exhilarating, I have stood at another of life’s redemption centers alone and felt the weight of my life’s sin-filled pages. You’ve probably been there too.
Some who stand at the door of Jesus’ redemption center with sin-filled pages feel they will never be worthy to even enter the front door. They see a store full of blessings that are only for those who have done great things for God. By not walking through the door, they keep themselves away from the treasures reserved for them.
Others come with their sin-filled pages covered with good deeds. They worked hard collecting their stamps of approval from the world. As a result, they think their mighty works must surely give them permission to enter the redemption center to receive their reward. They walk away sad and empty-handed.
But then, there are a few who humbly come to the Redemption Center knowing their sins are covered with the blood of Jesus. They become card-carrying members of redemption knowing it was Jesus who did all the work to pay their price of admission. No creative patterns of good deeds or stamps of condemnation leave a single sin exposed. Every sin is blotted out. Every sinful page is completely covered. These brought-out, set-free, redeemed children of God respond to His grace and mercy with actions of loving-kindness. Blessings stick to them like glue.
We can bring our sin-filled pages to Jesus without a single stamp of worldly approval, and He will personally cover them all. In fact, He would much rather have us come stampless. If we don’t, He might ask us the same question Paul asked the Galatians, “How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren’t smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!” (Galatians 3:2-4, The Message)
The apostle Paul understood the need for a change in perspective. He began life as Saul, the name of the first Israelite king. He studied under the famous rabbi Gamaliel. He was a Pharisee who strictly followed the rules of his Jewish faith. He became angry and belligerent toward the Christians’ notion of grace. I’ve met many religious men and women who also became angry when their list of rules was questioned. I was one of those people. But after reading the many words of Paul, my perspective changed. Now, I agree with him wholeheartedly when he wrote, “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:21)
Adam and Eve, the apostle Paul, and I needed a change in perspective. Could some change do you good? I know the perfect Redemption Center open 24 hours a day just for you! The name on the door reads ‘Jesus – The Redeemer’. Just walking through the front door changes your worth from lowly pauper to child of the King. Exchanging your way for His allows you to enjoy more blessings than you can count. Time spent there redeems your purpose, so that when you walk out into the world, the world can tell a difference. If you’ve already been there, you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you’re thinking this all sounds a little too good to be true, give it a try. What do you have to lose?
- Selfishness?
- Bitterness?
- Loneliness?
- Legalism?
- Sadness?
- Addictions?
- Anger?
- Pride?
“Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:13b-14)
(An excerpt from: Donna Jackson, Freedom for the Good Little Church Girl (Perfection Road, 2017), 83-86.)
Donna Jackson
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#donnajacksonblogs
