Not long ago I hired a guy to do some tractor work around the house. I was manning the shovel and we seemed to make a good team. I just wished I were the one SITTING on the tractor.
At about noon we broke for lunch and the inevitable conversation. I told Joe he sure knew how to run that tractor and asked how he had gotten into the business. He said that he use to be the one “manning the shovel” and decided it would be better to be the one on the tractor. Joe saved his money and took the plunge, buying his own tractor and starting his own business. He said he was almost out of business before he got started. Joe explained he spent everything he had to purchase a brand new tractor. He put an add in the paper, but no one was calling. Joe had remained friends with his previous employer so one day he called him to ask what he was doing wrong. Knowing Joe was a natural on the tractor, the quality of Joe’s work wasn’t in question. His prior boss asked how he was advertising his services. Joe explained he had taken adds out in all the local papers and had even advertised his services at $25 per hour, one third the going rate.
Joe’s ex boss laughed and said, you’re problem is you are not charging enough. No one is going to hire you at such a low rate. Puzzled, Joe asked why, he knew he was good on the tractor, actually one of the best in the area. He certainly was available to work immediately and he was offering to work at 1/3 the going rate. What’s the problem? Joe’s old boss went on to explain that people wouldn’t think you are any good unless you charge more. It’s called "perceived value" and people think the more they pay, the more something is worth. Consequently, the less someone has to pay for something the less it’s worth, it’s the way people are wired. Joe’s wise old boss told him to raise his price to $75 per hour and he will have more work than he can handle.
Bewildered, Joe raised his price and the work started pouring in.
It was at this point that I said, you know God has the same problem? Joe said, what, who? I could see Joe was immediately confused. I explained that God send his Son Jesus down from heaven to be a sacrifice for man’s sins, so that we may go to heaven when we die. God even sweetened the deal by making it a free gift. All we have to do is accept the fact that Jesus is God’s Son and He willingly died as payment for our sins. Three days later He rose from the dead and is currently in heaven “preparing a place for us” (John 14: 2-4). If we acknowledge that, God has promises us eternity in heaven. I told Joe that since God made this deal “Free” people think there must be more to it, or that it’s too good to be true. Something for nothing just doesn’t happen now days, there is always a price. Just like Joe, people have a “perceived value” problem with what God is offering. If God had said; Be real good, give to the poor, go to church every Sunday etc… and I’ll let you into heaven, then we could justify it in our minds. However, since God said; Believe in My Son Jesus. Establish a relationship with him as your Lord and Savior and that’s it. No strings attached.
At about noon we broke for lunch and the inevitable conversation. I told Joe he sure knew how to run that tractor and asked how he had gotten into the business. He said that he use to be the one “manning the shovel” and decided it would be better to be the one on the tractor. Joe saved his money and took the plunge, buying his own tractor and starting his own business. He said he was almost out of business before he got started. Joe explained he spent everything he had to purchase a brand new tractor. He put an add in the paper, but no one was calling. Joe had remained friends with his previous employer so one day he called him to ask what he was doing wrong. Knowing Joe was a natural on the tractor, the quality of Joe’s work wasn’t in question. His prior boss asked how he was advertising his services. Joe explained he had taken adds out in all the local papers and had even advertised his services at $25 per hour, one third the going rate.
Joe’s ex boss laughed and said, you’re problem is you are not charging enough. No one is going to hire you at such a low rate. Puzzled, Joe asked why, he knew he was good on the tractor, actually one of the best in the area. He certainly was available to work immediately and he was offering to work at 1/3 the going rate. What’s the problem? Joe’s old boss went on to explain that people wouldn’t think you are any good unless you charge more. It’s called "perceived value" and people think the more they pay, the more something is worth. Consequently, the less someone has to pay for something the less it’s worth, it’s the way people are wired. Joe’s wise old boss told him to raise his price to $75 per hour and he will have more work than he can handle.
Bewildered, Joe raised his price and the work started pouring in.
It was at this point that I said, you know God has the same problem? Joe said, what, who? I could see Joe was immediately confused. I explained that God send his Son Jesus down from heaven to be a sacrifice for man’s sins, so that we may go to heaven when we die. God even sweetened the deal by making it a free gift. All we have to do is accept the fact that Jesus is God’s Son and He willingly died as payment for our sins. Three days later He rose from the dead and is currently in heaven “preparing a place for us” (John 14: 2-4). If we acknowledge that, God has promises us eternity in heaven. I told Joe that since God made this deal “Free” people think there must be more to it, or that it’s too good to be true. Something for nothing just doesn’t happen now days, there is always a price. Just like Joe, people have a “perceived value” problem with what God is offering. If God had said; Be real good, give to the poor, go to church every Sunday etc… and I’ll let you into heaven, then we could justify it in our minds. However, since God said; Believe in My Son Jesus. Establish a relationship with him as your Lord and Savior and that’s it. No strings attached.
Joe left that day wondering. I had planted a seed because as a minister of the gospel, that’s now my job, plant seeds. It’s not up to me to make them grow, God said he’ll take care of that.
I’m not sure what impact my analogy had on Joe, if any. I just remember one day when I was manning a shovel, God showed up to remind me to “plant a seed”.
I’m not sure what impact my analogy had on Joe, if any. I just remember one day when I was manning a shovel, God showed up to remind me to “plant a seed”.
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