Not my responsibility?

Tonight my ego was a little bruised.  I guess that's what you call it.  I totally wasn't paying attention to what I was doing (something I would certainly have fussed at my kids for when they were younger) as I dropped a glass candle in the middle of a store for the entire Christmas shopping crowd to hear and see.  It was as if the store went completely silent 2 seconds before impact!  As I stood there thinking "I am so embarrassed!!", the sweetest clerk ran over to make sure I was ok and survey the damage.  I was trying to pick up the pieces very carefully so no one around me would get cut, and the clerk insisted she would clean it up.  I apologized profusely and helped point out where the glass flew to.  As she swept up my mess (that I should have cleaned), I told her I would definitely pay for the candle.  She insisted it was no big deal and that it wasn't necessary.  Pile on even more guilt!

After regaining my composure, I continued to look around for any bargains for 30 minutes, and then to proceed to pay for "my bad" and a few other things.  Get this:  The clerk would not allow me pay for my own mistake.  I have never dropped anything like that, and I've never seen a store not let you pay for something that you broke.  She just said it wasn't my place to pay for it.  Hello?  I broke it!

Random thoughts:  .....Then on the way home I started thinking about Jesus.  I owed something for my mistakes, my bad choices, my lack of thinking, my sin that I didn't and still don't have the resources or ability to repay.  And I never will.  I needed someone to pay it for me.  I needed a bailout, a backer!  Jesus had to step in my place to pay for my sins so I could be forgiven; only no one 'forgave Him' of the price that was due for my sin.  It wasn't His place to pay for it, but He did.  He paid it and paid it in FULL too!  There isn't anything I could do or pay now or in the future to begin to cover my bill.  

PAID IN FULL is all that I see. 

How fortunate I am...how fortunate we all are!    

Jesus, thank You so much for paying my bill in full.  Thank you for showing up, plucking me out of my mess, cleaning me up and giving me a second chance (and third and fourth and ...).  I appreciate everything You've done for me so very much!  I owe You more than I can ever begin to repay.  May I never ever forget or become immune to what You have done for me.  May it be the fuel that spurs me on for life!