It probably doesn’t come as a surprise to people that life is often compared to a journey. It has a beginning and an ending, and we don’t finish where we started. Particularly when it comes to our spiritual progress.
The Parable of the Shopkeeper’s Bargain is one such comparison.
Like Tony, the main character, we pick up a lot of useless weight during our mortal lives. Our modern civilization offers much that in the end is just junk—it offers no real, lasting benefit in exchange for the space it takes up in our lives. We may recognize along the way that we’re crowding out those things that matter more and that are in fact the reason we’re here in the first place. But sometimes we can’t stop ourselves from picking up the bottlecap, the rock, the shoe.
The answer is to come to the shop whose keeper offers merchandise of more lasting value. Like the shopkeeper in the parable, Jesus Christ offers to exchange for our collection of burdensome refuse the means to obtain that which carries much greater value. Because of our Redeemer’s compassion and benevolence, He gives of His own means, the golden currency of His atoning merits, to purchase from us the garbage we’ve collected. With that grace, we can then turn and obtain from Him the spiritual power to obtain other gifts He offers.
But we have to recognize that both the coin and the souvenirs of the shopkeeper are of greater value; we must allow ourselves to let go of the trash filling up our packs.
The prophet Moroni saw visions of modern times, and among other pleas, he wrote, “Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies—because of the praise of the world?” (Mormon 8:38). It’s a question of what we value more and what we’d rather carry around with us.
I testify to you that Jesus Christ is this generous. He wants us to give up our sins to Him so we can be enabled to instead receive covenants, sanctification, and spiritual power. In reality, a stop at the shopkeeper’s establishment doesn’t need to—and shouldn’t—occur only once during life’s journey. We should stop there as often as we have found ourselves collecting junk and crowding out things of real value. Jesus always offers souvenirs of the greatest worth.
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The Weekly Parable 