ACE #178: The Day I Stole a Pack of Gum...Sort of

Yesterday, my daughter and I stood in a line at Walmart for about 35 minutes.  There were two women ahead of us who both had a ton of groceries.  My daughter had become a little restless and I had become a little aggravated.  By the time our groceries were being loaded into the grocery cart, we were both just ready to get out of there.  When we got in the car, I immediately put my daughter in her car seat.  I loaded the groceries in the trunk.  After I put the grocery cart away, I reached in the back seat of the car to strap my daughter in.  That’s when I noticed them…two packs of gum in my daughter’s hand.

Me:  Did we forget to pay for that gum?

Her:  Yes, mom.  I think we did.  I think we stole it!

Me:  Well, let me unstrap you.  You know we’re going to have to go back in there and pay for it.

So we walked back in and got back in line.  As we were standing there, I got into a conversation with another customer about why there were so many people shopping today.  I mentioned that we were in there earlier and we forgot to pay for the gum.  His response, “I would’ve just gone on home.  I wouldn’t have come back in here to this mess.”  My response, “Well, if we want to teach her good behavior, we have to model good behavior.  I don’t ever want her to think that it is okay not to pay for something, and especially just because you’re in a hurry.  That type of stuff has a way of coming back on you ten times more than you expect.”  I can only imagine what $2.00 would have eventually cost me!

There are two things about this situation that just linger with me.  The first is, there are times when things won’t go our way or go as planned.  Guess what we’ll have to do?  Get right back in line!  Donnie McClurkin said it best in his exhortation at the end of the song “We Fall Down”. 

The next observation is that, as parents, we want our kids to practice sound judgment and honesty when they are in our presence, but also when they are away from our sight.  It was important for me to maximize the “teachable moment”.  I was able to show her that the commandment says, “Thou shalt not steal”…that means even accidentally. It’s no longer an accident “to sin” when we become aware!  Don't miss the teachable moments or the opportunity to be the Christians we claim to be...even when it seems to be an inconvenience.

 

Proverbs 24:16

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

 

"We Fall Down" reprise (altar call)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DYigHTSUac