Ever been Ripped Off?

Background:
Yeterday's high temperature in our area was 101 degrees with a heat index of 121 degrees.

This morning I went to the store for my first 'daddy run' to the store. Caleb has successfully gone through nearly a dozen diapers a day in his first week. I've been peed-on twice and changed about 1/3 of the diapers.



Anyway, as I'm in the checkout line I see people buying up these 24 packs of water. The store was selling them for "Buy 1 get 1 free for $7.49" So effectively you'd get 48 for $7.49.

This is where the rip off comes in:
I hear people in the aisle behind me asking for a refund. They want to give back a case of the water. What is the complaint you may ask?

Their complaint was that just the other day the same water was being sold for $3.99. They didn't want 48 bottles. They only wanted 24. The problem with this deal is that it's no "deal" at all to those who need it most.

This older lady wants the water in the middle of 100 degree temperatures but cannot afford to buy it for nearly $8. She was prepared to buy one case at $4.

Effectively this store raised the price and then told everyone that they could "get one free".

Application:
How often is this done in Christianity?
Christ came and set the stage. He said that we'd be challenged and persecuted. He even said that those who insulted him would insult us. He said that a wise builder counts the cost. He told the wealthy to sell their possessions and follow Him. He said we have to deny ourselves. Jesus didn't change the price. There was no bait and switch. Why then do we do this to our community?

The price we pay is nothing compared to what we receive in Heaven. Many times we wait until someone is "committed" to the church before we talk about terrible things such as commitment to Christ. Effectively we change the price on the water. We put a big sign in the window saying that there is one price but when people get to check out we tell them the price has now changed. It's not a wonder that people would get disillusioned with us.

Am I making sense? Are there any thoughts out there on this? How does your church keep this all together in the discipleship process?