Old Testament passage for Friday, December 27, 2013: Zechariah 10:1-11:17
12 Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter. Zechariah 11:12-13 (NKJV)
Family Man is a Christmas movie in the mold of It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol. The main character Jack Campbell (played by Nicholas Cage) sees two lives offered to him. His guide is an angel played by Don Cheadle. Interestingly, the angel's name is Cash. That's the underlying theme of the whole movie: What's really valuable to you? Jack must decide to pursue either narcissistic wealth and self-gratification on the one hand or fidelity, family, and integrity on the other.
A sub-title to Family Man might be Mark 8:37: "Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" In one scene, Cash the angel shows up as a store clerk. As Jack stands by, a young girl pays for her puchase but Cash gives too much money back to her. She slyly takes the money and scoots out. Cash sighs in regret that the poor girl sold her character for 5 bucks.
What are you giving in exchange for your soul? The cynical axiom of our times is "Every man has his price." Judas had his price -- thirty pieces of silver. The enticement of a few coins seduced him to sell the Savior. He looked at life as a bargain to be brokered, a deal to be struck, a step forward toward self-betterment and wealth.
Life can be seen as WAGES or as INVESTMENT. Wages demand immediate pay-off. Investment sees the end result and foregoes present pleasure in favor of future rewards. We live today in a "cash-in" culture that lives only for the moment. Why wait for uncertain promises when you can have thirty pieces of silver today?
God calls us to invest our lives in a Kingdom that shall never end. That means integrity, character, principle, and self-denial today. He promises the best life. He gives the best life. It may not match up with the fast lane. But it is the right lane. It is a wonderful life. It is a moment-by-moment choice; but it is the choice of a lifetime.
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