Free
There’s a song, and some of the lyrics are, “the best things in life are free.” Perhaps you’ve heard of the song. I think it’s called ‘Money.’ The point of the song was that money is not free. Good for that guy for figuring that out.
But I got around to thinking about what the best things in life are: fame, health, honesty, hope, friendship, love, freedom, happiness, loyalty, faith, entertainment, things like that. Have I left anything out? If you think about it, none of them are actually free. Take freedom for instance. How many movies can you think of (and lots of them are biographical) that involve people struggling for freedom. Braveheart anyone? In fact, according to one movie – well, a song in a movie at least – freedom costs $1.05. Cheap yes, but not free.
A lot of the things we take for granted, things inside us, qualities and skills, aren’t free. You think patience is free? Tell that to a five-year old. Tell that to Luke Skywalker, he had to learn patience, and it was a tough course from Master Yoda. Hope isn’t free, just like faith; you don’t trust to things instantly. Trust as well for that matter; people have to earn trust. Honesty is in the same boat – free to give, yes, but can you always trust someone to be honest? Jack Sparrow says a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It’s the honest ones you want to watch out for. Would you trust me that I’m not making all this up in my head as I go along?
Entertainment – obviously not free. Fame, of course not. Isn’t there a price to pay for that? Friendship – gotta earn it. Happiness, well, anyone who isn’t happy knows that it’s not free.
Now we get to love. Let this simmer in your head for a moment. Is love free? That depends now on how you think of it. Love is free to give, but not to get. When’s the last time a hooker told you it was on the house? Just like friendship, you have to earn someone’s love.
Except from Jesus.
The Chris Effect 
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