The Cross is like a Lexus?

           Last weekend, I was catching up with another friend of mine from college. This particular friend is also graduating from graduate school; however, she is graduating with another Master's degree. This time, in business administration. And this particular person is incredibly successful in every sense of the word. She's goal driven, she has worked in finance for a very long time and put in long hours in the office. She does work very hard. While we were talking and catching up, she almost sounded embarrassed that her parents were buying her either a BMW or a Lexus. She - for whatever reason - sounded guilty and yet she had no reason to feel this way. She earned a full ride to her graduate school. She is financially independent of her family. And suddenly it hit me.
          I reminded her that her parents were truly proud of her. They wanted to express their love, pride, and affection for her by buying her a really nice car. She thinks it's too much. It's too expensive. It's too nice. Isn't the cross that way? I mean really, God came down and offered Himself up for all of us. He paid a price that none of us - not even the wealthiest person on the planet - could afford. The cross is extravagant, we don't deserve it - but God loves us enough regardless of how many times we have fallen short in this lifetime - to lavish us with His love, praise and forgiveness.