Shipping and Handling

I did some online shopping today. Looking for bargains. I was so excited until I "proceeded to the checkout". That is when I got the news that the S&H charges were as much as my purchases thereby doubling the total. What a let down. I realized my bargains were just not that great a deal. I can stop at the store, pay a higher price with sales tax, and it would still cost less than buying it online.

 

I ship things all the time. I know I'm not paying for the shipping with these outrageous charges. It is the "handling" they are asking me to pay for. You know; the time it takes someone to pull the item and put it in a box. That is what I'm paying for. So I canceled the order. Ironically, if they had a bigger price on the item and a lower price on the S&H, I probably would have completed my purchase.

 

Why am I like that? Genetics? I remember hearing my dad say as I grew up "its the principle of the thing". I had no idea what that meant as a child I just remember my dad being upset about something when I'd hear it. NOW, I understand.

 

So I wondered what could I learn from this experience that might allow me to understand God a little more. How does my reaction to this reflect the character of God in me? Sadly it doesn't that much. First of all God is never out there "looking for bargains". And for God, the cost was high but He purchased our freedom anyway. He didn't pause to see if He could find a better deal. No, He sent His one and only Son to die for us so that we could be reconciled with Him. 

 

But I also know God desires I do the best I can with the resources He gives me. So I could justify my reaction by trying to convince you it was about this deep spiritual desire to honor God with my choices. But it wasn't. It was just the "Dillard" in me deciding there was a principle involved here. And I was going "show them" by not buying anything from them.

 

Now, I have to find time in my busy day, scratch that, busy week, scratch that, busy month to go to the store and see if the items I need are there. Probably more than one store. Grrrrrrr

 

John 2:24  NLT

"But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature."