On Saving

     I hadn't really thought of it before, but I saw a commercial this morning.  It was no different from any other commercial.  If anything, the dull presentation had very little with which to catch my attention.  At least he wasn't a screaming car salesman.  This car salesman spoke slowly, with a near-perfect monotone.  He explained how people could save money by purchasing cars from his company.  That's odd, I thought, you're not really saving money, you're just spending less.  Since that thought, I've noticed that the predominant definition of "save" is to "spend less."  And what do we do with the money we "save"?  We spend it.

     What if Jesus had the same definition of saving us as we have of saving money?  What if He considered us "saved" by simply not doing anything to us.  I'm glad the salvation of our souls is not the same as saving money.

     To set aside or reserve-- that was the definition that I associated with saving money.  What changed?  When did it change?  We work and earn money.  Then, we either save it or spend it (I consider investment a form of spending).  That's how the money works.  When did we decide that not doing anything with the money was saving it?  In the parable of the talents, it was the servant who did nothing with his money who lost everything.