Incentives are offered to challenge people toward a certain goal. They can be quite creative and high-stakes. One boss told his workers that they could have a holiday Friday off for a long weekend if they finished a big construction job that they were working on. BUT, if the job was done wrong, they would not only have to work on Friday, but also they would not be paid overtime for it. It worked — they got the job done right and before Friday.
Ohio’s governor managed to come up with a creative (and controversial) incentive to persuade people to get the COVID vaccine. Five $1 million lottery prizes would be offered to those over 18 years of age who got vaccinated. Those under 18 years of age who got vaccinated would have a chance to win full college scholarships, including tuition, room and board. The drawing would take place once a week.
So, was the lure of free, easy money and a paid college tuition persuasive? Yes, it was! Over 2.7 million adults registered to get vaccinated and over 104,300 under the age of 18 were slated to be vaccinated. It would seem that the Vax-A-Million lottery using federal pandemic dollars was far more persuasive than advertising with the same money would have been.
No matter how clever or creative an incentive may be, not everyone is able to take advantage of it. Large groups of people simply cannot be eligible for the prizes or perks offered, no matter how badly they may want them. And the chance of winning Ohio’s Vax-A-Million program was very slim indeed!
Unlike Any Other Incentives
But God’s plan of salvation is not like any of these incentives. Not only is it free, but also it is available to all who will receive it. From the homeless living on the street to the rich and famous, and to the countless millions just living their lives around the globe, God says that all can know Him. All can have their sins forgiven and be sure of it. All can know that they have eternal life and will go to be with Him in heaven when they die.
Salvation is only through faith in Jesus Christ. “There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:12-1312For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:12‑13)). “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:2222Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22)). God’s love is so great that 1 Timothy 2:4 tells us, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
Jesus has paid the penalty for sin on the cross. God doesn’t ask us to do some great deed or give money or do penance. He doesn’t want repetitious prayers, formal religion or knowledge of religious facts. Instead, “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:1717The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Psalm 51:17)). God wants us to truly repent of our sins before Him and to trust in the work that His dear Son, the Lord Jesus, did on the cross for our sins. He is gently calling you today — receive Him now, while you still have time!