No Cash Accepted--A Bonus Blog for you today!!

A man walks up to the check out of a small store and puts his items on the counter. The clerk smiles, and then begins to ring the items up, making small talk as he works. Finally the total is reached and the clerk waits to complete the transaction.

“Hmmm,” the man ponders, “I don’t know if I have that much cash on me.”

“Oh, we don’t take cash here,” the clerk tells him with a smile.

“You don’t take cash here?” asks the man, bewildered. “What kind of store it this?”

“Well, it’s one of a kind, I can tell you that,” chuckles the clerk.

“Then I guess I’ll have to write a check,” the man announces, pulling out his checkbook.

The clerk shakes his head. “I’m sorry sir, but you won’t have enough in your checkbook to cover these items.”

“And how would you know that?” the man asks, getting irritated.

“No one does,” the clerk replies with a smile.

“Then I’ll use my credit card,” the man insists, pulling out his plastic and handing it to the clerk.

The clerk shrugs, runs the card, and then says, “It’s been declined as well.”

“What!” the man exclaims. “I have a $50,000.00 credit limit on that account.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but that’s not enough either.” The clerk looks at the total again, and then says, “Let me go and speak with my manager.” He leaves the register and goes into the back room. The man stands there, small beads of sweat breaking out on his upper lip. He has to have these items; there’s got to be a way.

Finally the clerk comes back with a piece of paper covered in red ink. “Here you go sir. My manager said to tell you that it’s taken care of. Just take this and be on your way,” the clerk said with a wide grin, bagging up the man’s items.

The man reaches for the paper, and then asks, “What is this?”

“Oh, it’s a notarized form that says your account’s taken care of.”

“By whom?” the man asked, puzzled.

“The manager, of course,” the clerk answered with one eyebrow raised in surprise.

“Oh, no,” the man said, handing back the paper. “I don’t believe in charity. Tell the manager I’ll find a way to pay for this stuff.”

“Sir, it’s not charity. Please, accept it and take your things,” the clerk urged the man. He held out the bag, refusing to take the paper back from the man.

“No. I was taught that a man pays his own way in life and that’s the way I’m going to do it,” the man announced, dropping the paper on the counter and crossing his arms.

“Sir, you don’t have enough cash, and we don’t accept it here anyway. Your checking account doesn’t hold enough funds, and your credit is based on someone else’s work, not your own. You really don’t have any other choice.”

The man sighed heavily, and then shook his head. “Then I guess I’ll either have to find another store that takes my money, or go without.”

“Now, you know you can’t go without these things, sir. And there isn't another store that carries these items." The clerk finally lost his grin, and his face took on a concerned look.

"That store down the road looks good to me," the man protested. "I have lots of friends who buys these things there."

"But they aren't the genuine article. You want only the best, the real deal.”

The man thought about it, looked at the paper again, and said, “I think it’s unreasonable that you won’t let me pay for this myself. Why should I take someone else’s payment for this? It doesn’t make sense.”

“Sir, when you really think about it, it makes perfect sense,” the clerk assured him. “It’s not charity, sir, its grace.”

“Not to me,” the man said, and he turned away, leaving his forgiveness, eternal life, and peace of mind behind, along with the paper that held a cross and the written words, in blood, “PAID IN FULL.”

Trust me, if you’re looking to anything else to save you, it’s pointless. The answer is Jesus and the price He paid on your behalf. Don’t try to get into heaven on your good deeds, your family heritage, or someone else’s opinion. Just trust in Jesus. It’s grace, freely given, to you and to me.

Be blessed, and be a blessing,
Deena