Last week as I walked out of Dillard’s Department Store into the parking lot, I heard a loud voice from behind me, “We got you!” Startled, I turned around. Two men were walking towards me. However, they briskly walked past me and stood behind a young woman walking a few feet ahead. “We got you!” they said again. At that moment I realized they were plain-clothes security officers; the woman had shoplifted and got caught. The woman turned around. Handing her shopping bag to the men, she said, “Here, you can have it.” “Oh no! You’re coming with us!” The woman was whisked away back into the store. I was aghast as I stood in my tracks. For a moment there, I thought I had inadvertently put something in my shopping bag and forgot to pay for it, and got caught!
Getting caught is an awful feeling. Especially when you’ve done something wrong. You’ll have to face harsh consequences. But, we all somehow have gotten caught or found out at one time in our lives. I had my share of it. Some were funny, some were horrible, and some were absolutely embarrassing. But with some, I felt my actions were justified.
I have told the sad tale having to quit school for 2 years due to money problems. I stayed home to help my mother manage our little store. Finally, at 14, I went back to school again. When we were young, Mother often told us to save money. “Save even just a few coins everyday,” she used to say. So, I decided to save money that year. Lots of money, except the money didn’t belong to me. It was the store’s money–our family’s money. My great idea came when my father built a bench in the very back part of the store. Everything about the store was made of wood and cement but this newly added bench had bamboo legs under it. Big bamboo legs. Perfect for a coin bank! I planned to save a few coins every day as my payment for helping in the little store after school. I planned to pay myself, and Mother didn’t have to know about it. So, one day, when nobody was around, I cut a hole on the top backside of the bamboo, using a coping saw. I made sure the hole wasn’t visible to others, and I was the only one who knew about it. I figured I needed to start saving in case mother didn’t have money for my school fees again the following year. And if she didn’t, I would show her the bamboo bank. I felt my actions were truly justified.
Each day, I took coins from the store’s money can. When the can was full of coins, I’d take more. When there wasn’t much, I’d take just a few. I dropped the coins in my bamboo bank when no one was around. I only placed fifty cents, quarters, ten cents, and five cents. I didn’t waste my time on pennies. In the early 60’s, Philippine coins had value. When there were lots of paper pesos in the tin can, I took some of those too, folded them and dropped them into my secret bank. After several weeks, my bank was getting fat with money. Somehow, Mother never suspected that money was disappearing from her money can; but I felt really guilty for being dishonest. Yet, I justified my ingenuity from my having to quit school twice. “I’m not really stealing, for I’ll give it back to her when the time comes,” I told myself every day. Plus, what if we should have an emergency someday and need money? Then I would tell my mother about the bamboo bank. My mind came up with even more justifiable excuses. When no one was around, I would tap the bamboo bank to hear the coins. From its sound, I knew I had lots of money saved. I was quite happy, although there was fear in my heart. What if Mother or someone would accidentally bump into the bamboo leg and hear the coins? I was having so much fun justifying my stealing and saving. I also knew the time would come when I would want to take out the bank’s contents and count them. How will I do it? Many months rolled by and my coin saving continued.
One day I came home from school and found my mother standing at the front door. Her face had a somber look. I sensed something was wrong. One glance inside the house, I knew what had happened. On top of the dining table was my “cut up” bamboo bank and a mountain of coins and paper pesos! Mother had bumped into the bamboo leg that morning! My secret was found out! You bet, in spite of my many good excuses, I had my punishment that day. And, I didn’t get even a nickel of my hard-earned savings.
Today, I don’t mind getting caught as long as I’m doing good deeds. And even in just a simple way.
A few years ago, I led a group of young people in church. Shawn was a quiet young man. That particular day he looked worried. I felt impressed that he needed money for school, and although I didn’t have much, I decided to give him a surprise $100 bill with an anonymous note taped on it. I put the money in an envelope and placed the envelope on the driver’s seat of his car. After closing his car door, I turned around and guess who was standing behind me? Shawn! I was caught! But while doing a good deed!
May you get caught, not shoplifting or lying. But rather, by doing good deeds for others.
Colossians 3:17 – And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.