Kyle McDonald and the Red Paper clip. (2 Corinthians 5:21. The Greatest Trade Ever!) A lot of you have probably never heard of Kyle McDonald, but after hearing this story, you’ll probably never forget him. Kyle’s mission was to trade one red paperclip for an entire house. Before you say, “This guy is nuts,” you should know that he succeeded.
On his web page he says: “My name is Kyle MacDonald and I traded one red paperclip for a house. I started with one red paperclip on July 12, 2005 and 14 trades later, on July 12, 2006 I traded with the Town of Kipling Saskatchewan for a house located at 503 Main Street.”
He found someone who would trade in a fish-shaped ink pen for his red paper clip. From there, he was off and running. He traded the ink pen for a hand-sculpted doorknob. And he just kept on trading, each time trading up for something bigger and better. Some of the trades included a Honda generator which he received from a U.S. Marine, a snowmobile, a large truck, an afternoon with Alice Cooper, a movie role, until finally, after 14 trades, Kyle traded for a two story farmhouse.
It took Kyle McDonald almost a year exactly to turn one red paper clip into a house. I think every one of us would say that this was a pretty impressive trade.
APPLICATION: But there is an even more incredible trade that is available to each one of us. And each week, we’re reminded of that trade through the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is representative of a horrible death that Jesus died on a cross. He died for your sins and for mine. His body was broken and his blood was shed, not because of his sins, but because of ours. In the cross, Jesus took all of our mistakes, shortcomings, and sins. He takes the blackest and darkest things we have ever done. And in return, we are clothed with his perfection and holiness. And this offer is made to everyone. We simply need to choose to accept this greatest trade ever made.
