The following is a story that a friend told me yesterday, and I cannot help but share it with others.
About a week ago, my friend (I will call him "John"), found out that his wife could not find her debit card. This was not the first time it happened, so he figured she would eventually find it. A day or so later, his bank called him to report that he had tried to use the card at Walmart for a $300 purchase, but was denied. They were suspicious, so they froze the card and called him. Sure enough, someone had tried to use the card - and actually had used the card for a number of purchases totaling nearly $200.
John took Monday off work to find out what happened, and amazingly was able to follow the steps of the person and even get pictures and video of him using their card. Step by step, John retraced this man's purchases, but eventually John found out that due to the nature of the crime and the amounts stolen, the police department wasn't going to spend their time to chase this guy down.
John got an idea, and posted the man's picture on Facebook. Within a minute, John had some of the answers he was looking for. The man (I'll call him "Bob"), was a father of 4 girls, had recently lost his job for stealing, and was a manager at a local restaurant. John acted by calling the restaurant to see if he was there, and sure enough he was.
Let me pause for a minute - if this were you, what would be your next steps? What are you feeling inside? As John related this story to me, I started getting images in my head as to how the rest of the story plays out - and boy was it exciting! However, what John shared with me was so much more than I could have ever imagined...
John and his son make their way over to the restaurant. As they are driving, John notices his son has a pipe wrench in his hand. "What do you think we are doing?", he asks his son. Even John at this moment isn't sure what is next.
When they arrive at the restaurant, John tells his son that they are going to sit at separate tables. John sits down and orders a diet coke. When the waitress returns, John tells her that he would like to compliment the manager. "Can I speak with him?", John asks. The waitress responds with a smile and quickly tells the manager about John's request.
The manager arrives at John's table shortly after, and John says, "I want to compliment you on the way your restaurant is running." I interrupt John and tell him that I wouldn't have given such a compliment, but John replied "I didn't want to lie to the waitress". "Makes sense", I say, and he continues the story. John pulls out his phone and says, "Can I show you something?" As Bob leans over to look at John's phone, John shows him the picture he has of Bob as he is using his wife's debit card at the gas station. "What's this?" Bob asks. John replies, "this is you, using my wife's debit card." The man begins to respond by telling John that he has no idea what he is talking about, that John doesn't know what he is doing, that he has no idea where John got his picture... "Bob", John says, (at which point the he got the man's attention, "how does this guy know my name?" had to be running through his head.) "Bob, just listen to me. Stop your talking and just give me a minute."
It is at this moment I wonder what I would have done. You've got the man who has robbed you right in front of you. You know where he works - and you know that if it gets out he will not be working there anymore. You have power over the future of this man's life. What do you do?
John says, "there are moments of truth in your life, moments when you have to make a decision. When you found the debit card, it was a moment of truth, and you made the wrong decision." Bob was listening, but not very intently. John then said, "I'll bet you teach your 4 daughters not to steal, right?" The truth of this statement rang true in Bob's mind. He replied affirmatively. "What would your daughter's think if they knew that you took money from a couple with 5 children who both work 2 jobs to pay their bills?" Bob looked away, and from that moment to the end of the conversation, his eyes never met John's again.
Bob shared a little of his life's story with John. He is addicted to drugs, he lost his job because he stole from the company, things at home are terrible, his marriage is falling apart... It was all true - John had already researched his life and knew this about the man. As he finished, John shared with Bob that he too had been exactly where Bob was. "I was addicted to prescription drugs. My marriage, my family was falling apart. I had a number of 'moment of truth' situations where I made the wrong decision. I know what you are going through. And I believe that is why God brought me here to you today."
John went on to share with Bob that he was not there about the money. God had brought John to Bob to show him another way - a better way. John told Bob that he was a Christian, and because of what Christ did for Him, and because of what others did for him, he wanted to do the same for Bob. Bob deserved to be convicted of his crime. He deserved punishment. He should be made to pay back what he owes. But at that moment, John offered grace and mercy - in the same way that he received it from God, from his wife, from his friends. Mercy triumphed over judgement, and John offered that to Bob.
John offered Bob his name and phone number, and when the waitress came, Bob left.
There are many elements of this story that are amazing, and I know the story is still in development, but what happened next was really cool.
John and his son headed for the car. "What happened?", his son asked. John proceeded to tell the whole story to his son. "I don't know if I respect you, or if you are the biggest wuss." was his son's initial reply. And before you judge, go back and think about what you would have done as you read the beginning of this story. John was then able to talk with his son about what it means to offer grace. He was able to put into perspective the money the guy took versus the value of Bob as a person. John was able to help his son wrestle with the truth that others sin against us every day, and the easy thing to do is to make them pay. It is much harder to offer grace and mercy to people who do not deserve it.
As John shared, he told me that his son stopped by his room that night and said, "I'm proud of you, dad." He said, "I would pay a whole lot more than the $200 I lost to have that conversation we had in the car with my son."
So I ask you as you hear this story, how many times have you had the opportunity to do what John did, but chose the easier path? John is not a "Super" Christian. But on this day, in this situation, John holds the standard to the rest of us and asks, "What would Christ have us do in response to others around us?"
I pray that I will choose to see each response to others through the eyes of the one who chose to show me mercy and grace. Thank you, Jesus, for your forgiveness. Thank you, John, for showing us what it looks like to share it with others.
