When I was twelve years old, I entered the workforce as a paperboy. Oh I didn't make much per week, but it was enough for a twelve year old. I have always been a good saver and back then I had my eye on something that was so cool. In the Sunday flyers was the Radio Shack ad. Now you have to remember, this is back when Radio Shack actually sold cool stuff. Anyways it was right there in the ad. A brand new state of the art super cool metal detector! I think it went for around 70 to 80 bucks at the time. That was a lot of money and would take me many months to save up for. I wanted that thing so bad I could taste it. It was on my mind each day I labored delivering newspapers.

Well I was determined and I saved up all my money each week and although it seemed like forever I eventually had the money to buy it. My Mom took me to Radio Shack and my excitement level was through the roof! Just think in no time I would be rummaging around finding hidden treasure everywhere! When we entered the store I went looking for it immediately like a kid in a candy store. When I found it I was so excited! ! I started looking at the box and reading about all the features and then out of the corner of my eye I spotted something. It was a super fast incredibly cool looking remote controlled car!

Now I had one of these before but it had the wire attached from the controller to the car. That car would go about five feet ahead of you and then you had to walk with it. Needless to say it stunk, but this car was incredible and I just had to have it. My Mom being the good Mom she is, carefully reminded me how hard I worked and saved to come and get the metal detector. Well I spent my money on the car which turned out not to be so cool after a while.

What had I done!! I had serious buyers remorse after a few days. I should have bought the metal detector. I worked so hard for it! That was my goal and I saved earnestly to achieve it. My Mom was even surprised because she knew how much that metal detector meant to me. It was the prize and it was my goal and she saw how hard I worked towards it. In the end, the lure of that shiny fast car bought me. Let me just suggest to you brethren, that is exactly what happens when we sin. We all have the same goal, which is to receive the greatest prize of all. The only prize that even matters, and we are all working hard towards it. Then the devil comes along and dangles something before our eyes and we become distracted from our goal. The worse part is when we buy into what the devil offers. We completely disregard what we are really working towards for something that looks good at first, but in the end will cause us serious buyers remorse. The devil is a liar and he tempts us knowing our weaknesses. He hopes that at some point we will give up altogether on our goal. Just imagine how terrible that would be. After knowing the grace of God and working so hard for so long towards the goal of Heaven, only to buy something else.

Eric