I was about 13 years old the first time I broke the law. I grew up in a small farming community in southwest rural Idaho. It was a lazy summer Sunday afternoon and I was growing bored of playing baseball (using a tennis ball) with a couple friends of mine. There was not much to do in the way of recreation for a restless teenager such as myself, not to mention the added "I dare ya" that sprung from the combined wit and wisdom of my two best friends. Now, I could say what I did was completely against my will and that I was just another victim of peer pressure. I could say that, sure. Or perhaps I just made a rash decision without thinking everything through. I'm sure we've all been there. So there I was, the butt end of an "I dare ya". In fact, it ended up being a "Triple-dawg dare". Everybody knows there are some things you just don't do as a teenage boy. You don't kiss your mother. You don't acknowledge the existence of younger siblings while at school. And you never, ever, ever, EVER, back down from a triple-dawg dare.
So there I was. I was on the candy aisle at the local grocery store. Now, being that it was a small town, it was a fact of life that everybody knew everybody. To make matters worse, my mom was the corporate office manager for the owner of this particular chain store. She didn't work at this particular location, but she knew everyone who did. So not only did they know me, but they probably knew my grade point average and whether I wore tighty-whities or not. So, anyway, I'm standing there on the candy aisle trying to fulfill my mission and prove myself to my buddies. I told myself, "The most important thing is to not look suspicious." So I decided to not turn my head in either direction down the aisle, for fear of looking like I was checking to see if anyone was watching me. My logic was simple. They won't watch me if I act like I'm not watching for them to watch me. So, I tried to look out of the corner of my eyes without turning my head. Needless to say, I had a migraine after about 30 seconds of that. Try it. I'm not kidding. Then I thought the old "cup and ball" trick would be the most successful tactic. I grabbed several bags and boxes of candy all at once and then proceeded to put some back and pick others up, while at the same time slowly working myself down to one knee. From one knee, I made it appear that I was tying my shoe while stuffing about 10 dollars worth of candy bars into my socks. I was a genius!! No one was looking and there was no way I was going to get caught. But just to be safe, I walked around the store to see if anyone was following me. Nope. I was free to make my exit. So toward the front I advanced, like a soldier fixed on the front lines. Then the manager came out of his office. He knew me very well, as, of course, he knew my mother. I was busted, I knew it! I made a quick sanctuary out of the magazine rack near the front door. He came up next to me as I grabbed the first thing I could get my hands on--a copy of
Family Circle. "Reading anything good?", he asked, with just a hint of glum sarcasm in his voice. "No, not really". I choked down the vomit that was making it's way up my throat. "Okay, then. Tell your mom hello for me." And he left as quickly as he had appeared, casually utilizing his feather duster on a display of pickles as he walked away.
I wanted to die. Did he know? Was it a coincidence? Was my conscience just guilt-ridden and causing me paranoia? If he knew, why did he let me go? Was he gonna call my mom? Should I even go home again, ever?? These, and thousands of other convicting thoughts raced through my mind as I walked out of the store, with 2 dozen candy bars melting inside my sock.
So, you're probably wondering what the point of all this is, right? Yeah, me too. But actually, even though it seems like a comical story about a harmless shoplifting incident I committed 22 years ago, as a Christian, I want to show that it really couldn't be any further from "harmless". For starters, let's turn to Exodus 20 and check off all the Ten Commandments I willingly broke:
1.
"You shall have no other gods before me." Fact is, I didn't believe in God at the time. BROKEN
2.
"You shall not make for yourself a carved image" Fact is, I had many idols, first of which was my self. BROKEN
3.
"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain" Fact is, when it came down to brass tacks, I'm certain I hastily asked the God I didn't believe in to save me from the wrath of the store manager and my parents. BROKEN
4.
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." Fact is, I spent an hour in a grocery store attempting to steal candy and the only time I was on my knees was when I was shoving it down my sock. BROKEN
5.
"Honor your father and your mother" Fact is, I dishonored my mother and father, in the company of those who knew them best. BROKEN
6.
"You shall not murder." Fact is, in my heart I would have murdered, if it would have prevented me from being caught and my shame exposed. BROKEN
7.
"You shall not commit adultery." Fact is, given that I was a pagan 13 year old boy with a couple of buddies, I'm certain our idle talk consisted of that which would be characterized as adultery by Jesus in Matthew 5:28. BROKEN
8.
"You shall not steal." Fact is, need I comment further?? BROKEN
9.
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." Fact is, I did not tell the truth when I was confronted by the store manager and had the opportunity. BROKEN
10.
"You shall not covet." Fact is, I coveted the respect of my peers, even at the expense of my reputation and everything my mother and father had taught me. BROKEN
So, in all this, what we today might call a peccadillo, I managed to break every single one of God's commandments. Yet God's justice does not recognize any distinction in degrees of sin. Sin is sin. Lawlessness is lawlessness. "The soul that sins shall die" (Exodus 18:20). I deserved DEATH for my "peccadilloes".
I don't even need to describe all the rampant sin and debauchery that went on in my life for 10 years after this prior to the day God converted me. My guilt is made evident in my peccadillo.
What impresses me most about my Savior Jesus Christ, is not that He has forgiven all those ghastly terrible things I have done, but that he forgives all the "little" sins that I commit every day. By his grace may those acts continue to decrease in my life and in yours. Flee from sin!