Open Box

Think upon the following analogy:  It is a retail analogy in which God owns a store that humans are bought with a currency called love.  The product (you) determines it's own pricing.  You get to tell people how much love you want in order to make the purchase.  Also consider that people have "love credit cards" that have been issued by society and make the claim that you can pay for something with the love that you do not have and slowly repay that love over time (but in the end, you'll spend more than you wanted to and will most likely end up broke because of it).

I want you to know that I am an open box product.  This means that someone took me home, opened me up, took out all the pieces, and tried to make me work.  Once they realized that I was not the product that they wanted, they tried to repackage me and return me to the place where they picked me up.  If you have ever worked in retail, you know that customers are the worst at repackaging things.

The proprietor of the store not only knows that the return policy is unconditional, but He also knows exactly how to put the pieces back into the box.  As I am properly repackaged, the observation is made that there are a few pieces missing.  Knowing that the unit is still operational, God carefully continues to repackage me without the original pieces in place.  Some pieces can be remanufactured and added to the package, but some cannot.

Typically, open boxed products are placed with a label stating this fact, and they are reduced in price.  I tell myself that I don't expect as much in payment from the next buyer, but that I will not accept credit.

I may sit on the shelf for the rest of my life, or someone might come for me tomorrow.  Either way, I am content to wait patiently.