I can remember as a young teen being part of a garage band
that thought it was cool to steal sheet music from the local music store. We
even got bold enough, this was a long time ago, to actually take vinyl records
that were hidden in our large winter coats. The challenge is that this was a
small town store with only owner plus family overseeing the operation. There
were actually five of us and it was too easy to distract whoever was in the
store and walk away with almost anything.
I really thought we had figured a system out to get sheet
music for our new songs for the band. The only draw back was that one of our
guys decided to break our code of not ever trying to do it alone and got caught
red handed. This put a stop to our shoplifting habits. Ultimately I knew that
what we were doing was wrong and even though we got away with it for probably
six months I was actually glad that one of the guys got caught.
I know that most of us live with this hidden sense that it
is ok to break the rules as long as we don’t get caught. I think the forbidden
fruit syndrome is always attractive to most thinking that rules are only made
to be broken! I work and live in a neighborhood where finder’s keepers rules.
So anyone that finds anything from a smart phone to a wallet with cash truly
believes it is a divine action upon the almighty that placed it there in their
path. The only challenge is that most believe that they don’t have any
obligation to help find who had owned the missing iPhone, iPod or wallet.
Last night in the middle of the World Series I had a text
from one of my teens that seemed to be a SOS. The only problem was that they
never responded back to their plea for immediate help. I assumed that it must
have been for a bus card or money for McDonalds. The following day I hear the
real story of what happened through one of my key leaders. This individual had
gotten caught with a friend lifting something from a well-known store. The good
news was that this literally put the fear of the law, God and parent into this
teen’s brain.
I know the assumption, which is false, is that I won’t ever
get caught so don’t worry about it. The issue in this story was that a friend
was actually the thief but they both got caught as they were attempting to
escape and quickly make it home. Fortunately for our teen one of my interns
saved her day and met her at the Box Store. I can’t figure out why the manager
didn’t press any charges but they were released with the assurance that they
would send papers to their home and be forbade from shopping anything at this
Box Store.
I texted this individual to see if they had actually learned
anything from this big mishap assuming that they were cold hearted. I was blown
away when they shared that they felt so guilty that it drove them to spill the
beans to their father. Something happened in this close encounter with the law,
being grounded and sensing some shame or guilt. I know that too often as an
adult it is too easy to figure out ways to fudge everything and actually get
away with murder, fraud or embezzlement.
I’m thankful that my friend got caught that day in this
little music store and got the lecture and stern look to never do this again
and stay away from the Music Store for a few months. This ultimately stopped
the rest of us from lifting any more music or pushing it in other stores. I
know that sometimes fear of getting caught or in trouble will detour someone
from living on the edge. I also know that getting caught is probably the better
medicine to help our future where we become helpers and givers and not thieves
that always assume someone owes them something.
So I’m glad that my teen was that resourceful to avoid
getting caught! This will help my teen rethink their view of doing something on
the edge tomorrow.
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