Free and Full

Cassie Downs,

Christian Blogger

I am a rather frugal person. I didn’t grow up having much money and in most ways I’m grateful. Although I grew up on the poor side financially, I grew up rich in love and in faith. But not having much money growing up has caused me to always be a smidge frugal as an adult. I lean more on the side of Aldi for groceries and when my babies were actual babies, most of their clothes came from yard sales and I am still a sucker for a good yard sale. As I was reading through scripture this week, I came across a verse that made me think of potato chips and my pet peeve of a half empty, four-dollar bag of chips. Nothing will make a frugal momma quite as frustrated as a half-empty bag of potato chips.

It’s interesting how my mind works. How do scripture and potato chips even relate. Well, in my mind they do, so stay with me for a minute. First, understand my frustration. You run to the DG, (Dollar General, for those of you who don’t speak small town lingo) grab your favorite bag of chips for your favorite dip and the juicy burger smoking on the grill. You get home to your family of five, open those bad boys up, only to find a half-empty bag of chips. It’s mostly air with a couple of chips laying in the bottom and you just paid full price for a half-empty bag of chips. Are you frustrated yet? I am just reliving it in my head. After this, I may write a letter to all my favorite chip companies.

Because I am so frugal and don’t appreciate paying full price for half the product, I lean toward the knock offs. You’ll find me in Aldi buying up the cheese triangles. They are half the price for the same half-empty bag of chips. That’s a win. Well, at least for my wallet, my taste buds don’t always agree, but sometimes sacrifice is necessary. That’s great, Cassie, but how does this have anything to do with Jesus? I am so glad you asked! Let’s look at a portion of scripture I read this week.

For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb. — 1 Peter 1:18-19 (CSB)

Friend, this scripture makes me want to shout! Read it again. Let it permeate your heart and your mind. Jesus paid the FULL price for you, to remove your emptiness, to fill you to overflow. He shed His shed for your salvation, for your fullness of life. Jesus paid the full price and, unlike your potato chips, you receive the full benefit of His purchase. Do you need more peace in your problems? Jesus. Do you need more patience? Jesus. Do you need more love and joy? Jesus is ready to fill you up. It costs you nothing and gives you everything. There is no mistake too big, no sin too deep, no one too far gone that Jesus can not reach and fill to overflowing with all that He is. If Jesus were a bag of chips, I’d choose them; free and full.

Will you choose Him?

He paid the price to make you whole.

Cassie Downs is the author of Chasing Jesus and Unrivaled, both 60-day devotionals and founder of Everyday Jesus Ministry. Connect with her online at everyday-jesus.com. Cassie’s books are available locally and Amazon.com.