There once was a young boy who decided that he wanted to build a toy boat.  He very carefully drew his plans, found the best wood available, and cut, sanded and painted the boat.  He added a sail and when he was done, he was very happy with the boat he had made.

He took it to the lake near his house the first chance he had, and carefully laid it in the water.  Soon, a breeze picked up and the boat started to stir.  As the wind stiffened, it sailed further and further away.  The boy was frantic, calling for the vessel to come back, but the boat had a mind of its own.

After it disappeared, the boy was very sad.  He loved the boat so very much.  One day, when he was walking in the nearby village, he passed a store, and in the front window was his boat!  The boy couldn’t believe his eyes.  He ran inside the store and found the owner.  “Mr., that’s my boat in your window.  I made it and then it sailed away.  Can I get it back please?

The shopkeeper looked sternly at the boy and shook his head.  He said to the boy “That’s my boat.  I was at the lake one day and it sailed right up to me.  I’m selling it for $25.  If you can pay me the money I’m asking for, you can have it back, but otherwise it belongs to me.”  When the boy turned sadly to leave the shop, a small sneer crossed the lips of the merchant.  He did not want the boy to have his boat back.  Twenty-five dollars was a lot of money back then and the merchant did not think he’d ever see the boy again.

The boy was very frantic, but decided he would do whatever it took to get his boat back.  So, he did extra chores around the house, mowed grass for his neighbors, pulled weeds out of flower beds and so on.  It took a long time and each day he carefully counted the money he had saved so far, but finally he had enough to pay the shopkeeper.

He ran down to the village and straight into the shop and laid down the money on the counter.  “This is for my boat!”  The shopkeeper looked surprised, but took the money and removed the item from the front window.  He handed it grudgingly to the boy.

As the boy walked home, he caressed the boat lovingly and said to the boat how much he had missed it. Finally, he said to the boat “Boat, now you belong to me twice as much as you did before.  First, I made you, and then I bought you.”

And so it is with us and our Creator.  First, He made us and then He redeemed us.

Concept credit: Cornerstone magazine, JPUSA. To read more inspirational, informative and just plain interesting posts, visit my blog often.