I attend a weekly Bible study, and quite some time ago one of the lessons left me feeling especially convicted. 

Our teacher started the lecture saying, “Dealing with Jesus is always a good deal.”

The lesson focussed on two individuals who were forever changed by their faith in Jesus.

One of them was a man named Jairus who came to Jesus and begged Him to come heal his sick little daughter. The other one we only know as the “bleeding woman.” 

Back then, the woman’s condition would have left her ostracized from society—forced to live a lonesome, isolated life. She believed Jesus could heal her, and so she bravely joined the throngs and fought her way through to get close enough to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment and was immediately healed! She could return home a new woman.

But Jesus didn’t allow her an anonymous escape. He stopped and asked who had touched His clothing. Imagine her dismay! She knelt trembling before Him, admitting it was she. Jesus reached out and touched her and called her Daughter! Imagine going from trembling fear to unthinkable joy. Not only did He touch her, He looked in her eyes, used an endearment and proclaimed to all that it was her great faith that healed her. 

The woman came expecting only to be healed but got a relationship with Jesus as well because, “dealing with Jesus is always a good deal.”

In the meantime, Jairus was growing increasingly impatient. Why wasn’t Jesus dropping everything to come heal his little girl? He continued to plead with Jesus to come quickly—before it was too late.

When Jesus finally followed Jairus home, they came upon a heart wrenching scene—while Jesus had tarried, the little girl had died. Non-plussed, Jesus told them to stop wailing, the little girl wasn’t dead, she was only sleeping and they laughed at Him. But Jesus took her little hand, saying, “My child get up.” And she did!

Jairus expected a healing, but got a resurrection! Because, “dealing with Jesus is always a good deal.”

At the end of the lecture she posed a question, “Is there something Jesus is asking you to give up in exchange for a better deal?”

My face felt hot and I heard an almost audible voice: “Boxes of wine.”

There are few things I look more forward to than getting Brett settled in for the night, popping up a bag of popcorn, pouring myself a glass of wine and settling in with a good book. I’m especially eager to get to this part of my evening when I’ve stumbled upon a real page turner. It’s my little slice of Heaven. The problem is, I buy boxed wine, making it difficult to ascertain how many glasses I’m drinking. And deep down, I knew it was getting out of hand.

On the way home, I debated whether or not to tell Bob about my conviction—because I’m not a huge fan of accountability (especially when it’s Bob the one holding me accountable). But in the end, I did tell him. 

He responded with a little too much enthusiasm for my taste, so I quickly added, “Actually, it may have just been a hot flash and I’ll probably backslide.”

“It wasn’t and you won’t,” Bob answered.

And he was right, it wasn’t and I haven’t— and it has been a good deal. There are few things I fear more than ignoring the voice of the Spirit. I heard it once said that “there’s no softer pillow than a clear conscience.” 

An absence of fear and a clear conscience—I’d say that’s a pretty good deal.