Repentance and Redemption
Last Thursday, I went to Co-op to buy some groceries. I had a lot of groceries to buy. One item was a cucumber for about $2.00. As the cashier was swiping through all the items, I noticed that she waved the cucumber past the machine but it didn't beep. She put the cucumber in a bag and put the bag in my cart. There is a screen that shows all your items. I can't seem to find cucumber on it, but it's long list and perhaps it is called something funny that I don't recognise just by glancing at it (I tell myself). I was going to say something, but something stopped me. I don't know if I was scared or I didn't want to make a big deal of a $2.00 cucumber or maybe it was that I had just missed the beep (there were quite a few beeps). Anyway, I let it go by. When I got home I checked my receipt and it confirmed what I knew...there was no cucumber on the receipt. I had not entered the Co-op planning on stealing a cucumber but that is what happened. I was racked with guilt. (It didn't help that Bible study was later that day and I could feel the conviction raining down on me.) Now I know some people will say, it's only a a $2.00 cucumber, it's no big deal. But Abby was with me. How can I teach her honesty and integrity when I don't demonstrate it even with the little things. So that afternoon I swore if I was ever in that situation again, I would not just let it go.
Today, I went to get some groceries. Just a few things, milk, meat, a couple cans of peaches and bagels. And what should happen? The cashier swipes everything through but when she waved the bagels (around $3.50) past the machine, there is no beep. I look up at the screen. There are no bagels listed as an item. This time it is a small list and I know for sure that bagels are not called milk or peaches. So I asked her if the bagels were rung through. Sure enough. And as she rung them through she smiled at me and said that I shouldn't have said anything. I looked at Abby smiling at the other cashier bagging my groceries and just smile back at her.
I'm skipping Bible Study this afternoon. Abby fell asleep on the ride home and I don't want to wake her. Well, actually putting her back in the truck probably wouldn't wake her up but when she does wake up, she need to be fed and changed. Plus, she needs all the sleep she can get. She's got a bit of a cough. It doesn't seem to be bothering her but I want to keep it that way so keeping her out of a room with lots of people seemed to be a good idea.
It felt like Spring today! I know in my heart that it is actually far off yet but this glimpse into spring is very nice. Snow is melting and there is that feeling in the air. Even if it isn't the real thing, I'll still take it.
Today, I went to get some groceries. Just a few things, milk, meat, a couple cans of peaches and bagels. And what should happen? The cashier swipes everything through but when she waved the bagels (around $3.50) past the machine, there is no beep. I look up at the screen. There are no bagels listed as an item. This time it is a small list and I know for sure that bagels are not called milk or peaches. So I asked her if the bagels were rung through. Sure enough. And as she rung them through she smiled at me and said that I shouldn't have said anything. I looked at Abby smiling at the other cashier bagging my groceries and just smile back at her.
I'm skipping Bible Study this afternoon. Abby fell asleep on the ride home and I don't want to wake her. Well, actually putting her back in the truck probably wouldn't wake her up but when she does wake up, she need to be fed and changed. Plus, she needs all the sleep she can get. She's got a bit of a cough. It doesn't seem to be bothering her but I want to keep it that way so keeping her out of a room with lots of people seemed to be a good idea.
It felt like Spring today! I know in my heart that it is actually far off yet but this glimpse into spring is very nice. Snow is melting and there is that feeling in the air. Even if it isn't the real thing, I'll still take it.
Comments
But when it comes right down to integrity, that is really what defines you. You noticed, doubted yourself, confirmed once home (to me, though, this was quite a bit out of your hands--the responsibility DOES lie with the cashier to ring it through) and were able make peace with it by "even-ing" it out the next day.
But, my sweet friend, guilt is a nasty little vice, and although I empathize wholly with your plight, you do have to realize that the boundaries of what is who's responsibility is what makes the situation somewhat out of your hands.
This is obviously not meant to excuse being okay with getting the free item, of course, but rather in identifying that you are not wholly guilty, are not to blame for the miss and guilt, over all, jails us. It does not allow us to love freely or see things freely and loving thy neighbor can be applied here when relenting that it was... after all... just an accident.
We can get into the aspect of accidents another time (prevention, how much is too much, etc.)
Hope you don't mind my preachy alternate thoughts. Can't wait to have coffee again! Next time I'll bring something from the Toad for us!