My guilt usually got the best of me. I confess. I haven't paid back all things. It's either been too long ago, or I've moved, or I can't remember who I owe. But on one occasion the guilt was just too much and I went back to a Dairy Queen several months later, told the manager about not being charged for a milk shake, and gave her the money for it.
The "little things" aren't as little as they might seem when minutes, hours, days, months, and even years go by and you still have the guilt. So one day I had had enough. I made a resolve that I was never going to be dishonest again. "Lord... test me again!" I said. "I'll do the right thing this time."
Well, lo and behold, it wasn't only but a day or two later, and He did. I went into a local grocery store. The doors automatically opened up, and what was sitting right in the middle of the floor just inside the door? MONEY! It wasn't just a few bills, it was a $100.00. "Oh, Lord." I thought. "This is a test!" I looked around to see if anyone looked like they were searching for money. I stuck the money in my pocket and walked up and down the isles looking for a clue, any clue. No one seemed to be in a panic. You know the old saying... "finder's keepers, loser's weepers." Well, I have to admit, it entered my mind a time or two. Another confession... I had a little battle going on inside my mind for a few minutes. "Should I keep it; should I not?"
But I knew what I needed to do. I had to do the right thing. I was going to pass this test! I approached the service desk and asked for the manager. I asked him if anyone had come looking for money they had dropped. Not one person! I then told him I found some money and gave it to him. What he did with it, I'll never know. But.....I DIDN'T KEEP IT! I passed the test.
writing prompt #4: Something you stole
Good for you! Keeping your integrity is worth way more than $100.
ReplyDeletegood for you! $100.00 would be hard to pass up :) If you want to check your blog stats go to the dashboard. Select the drop down arrow next to the blog you want to check the stats on. The drop down arrow is between the "new post" symbol and "view blog". On the drop down menu select "stats". You have four areas of stats: Overview, Posts, Traffic Sources, and Audience. If you select traffic sources it will list the top sites sending traffic to your blog. You can click on the URL's and it will take you to their site and have a look at it.
ReplyDeleteWhoa! Good for you! I would've failed that one. This one time I found money at the service desk at a grocery store and i gave it to the person behind the counter. Im pretty sure they pocketed the money, but I felt good not hesitating about giving the money back. It wasn't any $100 bill though!
ReplyDeleteI've never found a hundred dollars, but I would probably keep it. I would assume that God knew that I needed that cash, and that He put it there, and I would be thankful. But that's me--you asked for a different test, and you passed the one you set for yourself. Good job!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I would usually this that, too... that God put it there because I needed it. But you are right. I didn't ask for that. Good perspective. Tests can be quite challenging!
DeleteMany years ago, I was watching Makette's two little one's for her while she went to work. She gave me a 100 dollar bill and asked me to go pay her gas bill. I folded the bill and put it in my pocket. I had left to go downtown, stopped at payless shoes in Price and bought some shoes. Then I sent off to the gas company. When I arrived I realized I had lost the money! Panic! I was beside myself. I started mentally retracing my steps. I went home and called the shoe store and asked if someone had found any money on the ground! I was so relieved when the lady on the other end said yes! Boy I was so grateful someone turned it in!
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing worse than reaching into your pocket for a bill and realizing it's not there! You definitely did the right thing, but MAN what a temptation!!
ReplyDelete