The Slave Auction

People Are Owned by Things or by Jesus Christ

   As I strolled by the magnificent building the sign on the door caught my attention: “AUCTION HERE TODAY!” I opened the heavy oak door and walked in. The scene inside took my breath with its brilliance. The room and furnishings were luxurious, from the mohair carpet to the teakwood walls. Finely dressed men sat in leather chairs sipping drinks from golden chalices.
   A man wearing a black tuxedo and a cunning smile greeted me at the door. "Here is your number," he said forcefully. "When you are sold to an item present your number to the clerk."
   "Sold to an item?" I questioned. "Don't you mean sold on an item?"
   "It's all the same! You do realize this is a slave auction don't you?"
   “Nnno...uhm, I... ah, I have no use for a slave," I stammered. "Besides, I thought selling slaves was against the law."
   The man's laughter rolled from his lips in almost sinister amusement. "We're not selling slaves. Selling slaves into forced labor is most certainly against the law! I'm afraid you have misunderstood." A sigh of relief slipped from my lips as he continued. "We don't sell slaves - we barter for them! Furthermore, we put no one to forced labor, it is all voluntary! We are ready to begin. Why don't you watch? When you want to make an offer of yourself feel free to do so."
   There was no time to wonder if he meant an offer of myself or for myself. The auctioneer stood by a beautiful limousine calling: "Who would like to commit themselves to this fine car?”
   A hefty fellow responded, "I'll give two years for it!"
   Another countered, "Three and a half years!"
   The bids continued to be offered, always in terms of time rather than money.
   I turned to the man next to me and questioned, "I can't figure out what's going on here. Can you?"
   "Certainly," he replied. "Each person is committing himself to serve his new master for a declared period of time. The highest bidder wins - or actually loses - himself."
   "Master... serve?” I questioned. “These are mere material goods. There are no rulers or commanders here?"
   "Ah, you are mistaken there! We each have only so much time in life. We barter our lives daily for those things which will own us. We serve them by purchasing them with our work hours; by trading our emotional energies, thoughts, physical strength, and time to protect and maintain them. Wouldn’t you call that slavery?"
   "Yes..., I guess you're right," I answered slowly. "I just never thought of it in such terms before."
   "Terms,” another man interjected, “did I hear you mention terms? We can arrange any terms you like. You may serve your time continuously, day and night. Or, you may serve intermittently - alternating enslavement time with your other masters. Our terms are not easy, but all it costs you is your life!"
   By this time several people had bid large portions of their lives away to new masters. Not all were material masters. Some were lords of pleasure or status. I was caught in the excitement and traded large parts of my life for finer things. There was a frenzy of bidding to serve the corporate empire. The auctioneer was about to drop the gavel to accept a commitment of lifetime service, along with the sacrifice of family and children when the auction was interrupted. A simple man stood before the crowd, having slipped in without notice. His quiet words stunned the crowd into silence.
   "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross daily, and follow Me."
   "But I've already bartered my life to other masters," mumbled one man.
   "Whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life
for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if
he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?"
   "But what do you offer in return?" echoed a shout from across the room.
   "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
   I followed the stranger out of the room and dropped at His feet the chips representing all I owned, and had accomplished, and all I was. I felt that at least I would be serving someone, rather than something. As He gently raised me to my feet I noticed scars in each hand. At his word chains and shackles, that I didn't even realize had ensnared me during the auction, fell free.
   "Seek first My kingdom and righteousness, and all these ‘things’ shall be
given unto you." He said returning many of my chips. "Use them
wisely and buy up the opportunities, for the days are evil. I must go now,
but I will never leave you or forsake you. Remember therefore, you are no
longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God!"
   That day I walked away from the slave auction free - truly free because I was now a servant of Jesus Christ!