The Ballestero Blog

Young Person, Is That The Best Deal You Could Make?

• Some People are just awful in Business.
• It’s just not their nature to bargain, barter, or make a good deal.
• They always seem to get cheated.
• They always lose money when they sell things.
• Others easily take advantage of them.

Imagine Then:

• Selling an heirloom at a yard sale for $1.00.
• Being happy to unload a treasure, at a give-a-way price, then get pressured to take $.50 and do.
• Later, you find out the real value and you are ashamed of your own stupidity!
• You realize you acted like you were an Idiot!
• You sold it too cheap!
• You’ll spend your life with that regret.
• You didn’t make the Best Deal You Could Make!
• Did you think you would never find another buyer?  (Was it Seller’s Panic?)
• Basically, it looks like you were willing to give it away, or you didn’t care.
• To YOU it had no value, because you placed none upon it.
• Was it because you don’t know the value or worth of your possessions?
• How can you possess something for years and be clueless of its value?
• If you inherited something, you may or may not be sure of its value.
• That’s why you could always get an appraisal, or even a second opinion.
• You take what you have to a knowledgeable party and say: 

1. Tell me what it’s worth?  
2. Is this junk or real. 
3. An Heirloom or Trash?
4. Then you believe what they said and never settle for less.
5. Treat yourself the same way

What Am I Talking About? The Value Of You!!

• You.
• The Value Of You.
• The Business of You on the Open Market.
• And what worries me is that You may be settling for give-a-way price.
• If so, YOU must not have any respect for yourself. 
• Or any hopes you have of ever doing much for God.
• Because you were willing to place an Heirloom in the same basket as the Trash.
• Too blinded by the flesh, to see the value of God’s gift (call) in your life.

I’m Always Amazed At Good Boys And Girls Settling For Spouses With:

• No spirituality.
• No personality.
• No signs of the Holy Ghost.
• No common ground but fleshly desire.

And I Say To Myself.  “Was That The Best Deal You Could Make?”

• “Why didn’t you go to your Pastor and get an appraisal?”
• “ And then, believed him?”
• “Why didn’t you go to your Parents and get an appraisal?”
• “And then believed them?”

The Body’s Skin Is Only The Wrapping Of The Present.

• Only an idiot would so fall in love with the wrapping, that they never want to open the gift and see what is on the inside.
• It’s what’s on the inside that is of value.
• Shallow people fall in love with the wrapping and not what’s inside.

You Look In The Mirror, And…

• All you see of yourself is a nose you don’t like.
• Ears that somehow are all wrong to you.
• Zits that you just know will turn off the world.
• A Shape or Build that’s far from pleasing in your eyes.
• So you feel that because you are, for the moment unhappy with the wrapping, you think the inside must not be worth much either.
• So you De-value yourself.
• That’s the first step towards making a bad Business Deal in life.
• Settling for some Carnal Companion for a Marriage Partner.
• Settling for someone who is very wrong for you.
• I ask again, Was That The Best Deal You Could Make?
• I wish I could get you to believe that: “You are someone very special!”

Hey guys, if all you are interested in is a girls dress size, then that may be all you ever get. If you marry just for the wrapping, you might be disappointed with the present. But if you look deeper and marry what’s inside, you’ll not be sorry.

• What makes a person of Value & Worth settle for someone who is shallow and empty?  (You are deceived if you think you will help them grow in God.  Let them mature and grow in God first and then consider marriage.)
• What makes a person of Value marry some sorry outfit that won’t work and just sits at home plays his Sony Play Station or Xbox 360 all day and night?
• What makes a person of Value marry someone who is half Psycho? Was that the Best Deal they could make?  Surely not.
• What makes a person of Value marry someone who would rather do drugs than live for God?

Maybe you’re in a small home missions church and you love God. But there are just not many boys in your church.  You get desperate and feel like you are running out of chances to get married, so you grab the first person who smiles at you. Regardless if they are in church or out. Regardless if they are on fire for God or not. Don’t think you will marry them and then fix them or get them saved. The odds are against you.

What makes a person of Value meet some carnal Quail-head at a Conference or Camp, and fall for them. Then marry and leave a Great church to go to some dried up excuse for one. Their soul will not doubt dry up too, just because they thought this is the best they could do.

In my opinion, it’s better to be an old maid wishing you could get married, than to be a married woman wishing you were an old maid. It would be better to be a bachelor on fire for God, than to marry someone who will drag you out of church. Why would anyone want to spend the rest of his or her life saying, “Come on honey, go to church with me tonight. Pleeeeeze?”

God’s plan for your life involves great things for you and for His Kingdom. Don’t go hormonal stupid and mess up what Heaven has in store for you!

Let Me Talk About The Parents For A Minute!

Isaac and Rebecca set helplessly by as their son threw away his future and married women that brought grief to their hearts. Sadly, it still is happening today.

 (Gen 26:34)  And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:

(Gen 26:3V)  Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

They were grieved because they knew Esau could have made a better deal and didn’t. But then again, this is the same man who made a bad deal in trading his birthright for a bowl of beans. Some people never seem to catch on.

I just happen to be the proud father of the most beautiful daughter in the world who is just as beautiful on the inside.  She is married to a great pastor that makes my heart proud as well. They are a wonderful couple that brings great joy to our family and me.

When my daughter Marisa was still single and living at home, it was not uncommon for young men to travel long distances just to come and see her. Pretty girls are worth seeing. They all hoped for a chance to win her affection. She did a good job filtering out the bad ones. (She got that gift and her good looks from her Mama.)

One time though, I didn’t give my daughter a chance to say no to a potential suitor. As the father, I became the filter and her personal defender.

She was about eighteen when a knock came on our front door one day. I opened the door and was very surprised. I did not know the young man, nor had I seen him before.  Neither had I ever heard him mentioned.

It looked like someone had set a bowl on top of his head and mowed around it leaving a black thick thatch of hair on top. He had a pierced lip, nose and an earring. His tongue was pierced too. His clothes looked soiled.

I nodded and said hello.

He gamely smiled and said, “Is Marisa Home.”

I looked him up and down real slow letting the smile leave me face. Then I looked him in the eye and with my no-nonsense voice I said, “Not to you, she’s not.)

The look of shock was still on is face when I closed the door.

Don’t even think about telling me I was rude or impolite. I am a Father. A Father’s job is to protect his family.

You don’t raise a daughter up to the age of eighteen and then throw her away to the first pair of britches that comes by. Neither do you raise up a son and throw him to the first skirt that rustles in his direction. Furthermore, you don’t let them throw themselves away either.

If all they hear from mom and dad is criticism and negativity about themselves, they may not value themselves very much either. You may have just set up your own child to make a bad deal in life.

Be thankful to God if your child is a good son or daughter. Brag on them, encourage them, guide them without nagging or harshness. Love them into making the right choices. Validate their achievements and right choices with praise.

Young Person. God did something special when He made you. Believe it, and never settle for anyone that would keep you from being what God meant you to be. His hand is on your life. Don’t take it off.