The MSRP

      It seems that there are a lot of people who are experts on pricing merchandise.  There are those four initials, MSRP, that occur on most products.  Naturally, they stand for Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price.  This is usually the price that is given for the product that they would like to get for it.  What happens in many cases is that the MSRP is given and then there is the really low price that they are willing to take for the merchandise.  What we don't know is the real worth of the item in the first place.  I recently saw an advertisement that was giving away 2 watches, a man's and a woman's, that were worth $120.00 combined just for purchasing any item from that catalog.  These are probably the same watches that you can get for a very minimal price.  Let's face it.  No one is giving anything away for free these days.  At the same time, people like to feel as if they are really getting a bargain as they try to accumulate as much wealth as possible.  What we need to consider is the fact that there is one thing that is the most valuable but for which man fails to strive.  It is the destination of his own soul.  Matthew 16:26 says, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"  
       The Bible has much to say about the soul and it's future destination.  What is sad is that people refuse to acknowledge that it is the truth or even consider it as a possibility.  There will come a point, however, when every person will be evaluating their decision.  Unfortunately, it will be too late to make any difference.  As Matthew has said, there is no profit in gaining the whole world and then in the end losing your own soul.  In this case, the MSRP is the most valuable in the world but the actual cost for the owner is free.  Salvation is a free gift and cannot be earned as we learn in Ephesians 2:8-9.  So, while the world's prices for things may be completely out of whack, the value of the soul is extremely high and in fact is inestimable.  Praise God that He has made a way to purchase each and every one of us through the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.