Buying or Wondering?

My daughter and I arrived yesterday in Savannah for her college tour of the College of Art and Design. She walked an hour with me and then pooped out, but I continued wandering for a couple of hours through this very beautiful, historic city. I stopped to take a picture of an old hotel and a man paused next to me, and said, "Hoping to catch a shot of a ghost?"
I laughed, "I don't believe in ghosts. But why....? Is this place famous for ghosts?"
"It's considered the most haunted place in Savannah."
"Why? did someone die here?"
"Lots of people died there," he said, "I don't know if I believe in ghosts either, but lots of people won't stay  there. Say they see ghosts."
He walked on.

I looked at the hotel. I saw no ghosts, but I found it a little creepy nonetheless. After all, it was Halloween and I was in the "most haunted city in America." Fortunately, I had just read an article about ghosts which made an interesting point. You never hear about naked ghosts...only clothed ghosts, and they are usually clothed in the time period they once lived. Well, it defies credulity that not only the body would become spirit... but the clothes too!? That alone debunks the whole ghost theory in my book. Of course, the Bible says people pass directly to heaven or hell...there is no in-between, so scripture debunks the whole ghost theory as well. If you think you see a ghost, it is probably a demon. Demons are scriptural, but not ghosts.

I passed a street vendor with beautiful handmade jewelry.
"These are lovely," I said, "What is your price range?"
"Prices for buying or for just wondering?" he asked.
Apparently, they would be different depending on one's intent.
"Buying," I said.
"$20."
I didn't ask him what the cost was if I was just wondering. I would assume much higher.
"I will think about it. Will you be here tomorrow?"
"If He wants me here," said the man, pointing upward.
"Amen!" I said.


Somehow, the two experiences seemed connected. Ghosts are not real. I am not buying that story at all. But wondering about it is sort of fun when one is in the most haunted city in America on Halloween. The man selling the jewelry knew that buying deserved a serious answer, but wondering could be frivolous, really anything. And in the end, he knew what mattered. As he pointed heavenward, not trying to push me at all for the sale, he knew what was the only story worth buying. How refreshing it was to meet him in this city known for spiritual darkness and for more ghosts per capita than...capita.

If Jesus is real, and His message of salvation is true, then wondering and not buying will be costly in the most horrific way. But if we bow our heads right now, and say, "OK, Lord, I'm buying it all, the whole story, kit and caboodle. I accept what you are offering," we gain something for free that is also eternally priceless. What a deal!

If he is there today, I intend to buy, not just wonder. And if you were wondering, no, we didn't meet any ghosts last night, but my daughter and I had a wonderful unhaunted dinner together in the City of Ghosts.
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1 John 4:1 

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Philippians 1:9-10 

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

Hebrews 5:14

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 4:12 

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.