An Eye for the Finer Things

My eye always wanders to expensive items.  Not because of the label on them.  I just have an eye for quality.  For as long as I can remember, my mom has shown me pictures of objects and asked which I prefer.  Though the prices were not included, I tended to prefer the objects that were most expensive.

I can’t explain why I like the things that I l like.  I just like them.  I’m going to say that I was born this way.  When I was a baby, I had a sensitive stomach.  Traditional formula was too much for my delicate insides, so I had to use a more expensive formula.  My feet didn’t take kindly to cheaply made shoes.  My family had to invest in footwear that was a little more costly.

Having an eye for the finer things is all well and good when you don’t have to pay for it.  Graduate school was my first experience with being a fully functioning adult on a tight budget.  Bible Study Mama was recently divorced.  She kicked this little bird out of the nest, and I had to start flapping really quickly so that I didn’t hit the ground.

The transition was not an easy one.  Everywhere I went, I saw things that I wanted but that were out of my price range.  My new cashflow situation inspired change and creativity.  I became a real shopper’s shopper.  Clearance, discount, percent off became my new favorite words.  I mastered the art of getting the look for less.

While I do love my thrifty spirit, I had to learn that there are times when the increase in price is warranted.  Quality items cost more because they are made of finer materials.  Of course, there are mark ups in price, but I can spot genuine quality when I see it.

My house is great example.  My house wasn’t really appealing to the eye.  The structure was sound, but the previous owners left the house in a real mess.  I had an eye for the type of home that I desired, but it was FAR outside of my price range.  This home had potential, but it was going to take some real work.

So, I purchased a home that wasn’t ready to be inhabited.  At least, not by me.  It just didn’t look right.  Aside from the health issue with the moldy bathroom vanity, my uncles and cousins had removed the carpeting.  So, there were cement floors with glue spots.  Nothing appealing.

Getting the home to its current status was a process.  I saw a refrigerator that I loved, but it was awfully expensive.  I shopped around and found the exact same refrigerator for a much more reasonable price.  There is a dint in the door.  It’s not perfect but most folks only notice the imperfection if I point it out.  I used my years of shopping experience to piece together this home.  Sometimes, I paid full price.  Other times, I was able to find what I wanted within my price range.

The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that my eye for the finer things IS hereditary.  God looked down at me and decided that I was worth something.  He could see past my imperfections.  He saw the value in my life.  I was so valuable that He decided to pay the full price.  Jesus paid for my sins on the cross of Calvary. But He didn’t just die for me.  He died for you as well.  He saw the value in you and determined that you were worth the cost.  Yes, you.  I pray that you are encouraged today and can see in yourself what Jesus saw in you.  We don’t get it right all the time, but goodness gracious, He paid the full price.