TOM ran into the house, slamming the door behind him, and called, “Hi, Mom, I’m home.” He “screeched on his brakes” when he saw his mother in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the icing of a delicious-looking chocolate cake.
“Boy, I’m hungry! Can I have a piece?” he asked.
“No!” answered his mother firmly. “This is for dessert tonight. The Harringtons are coming for dinner, and this cake must not be touched ’til then. Here’s the icing knife and bowl you can lick if you want.”
Tom soon had the knife and bowl licked clean. It tasted so good! He looked at the cake longingly. His mother put it on the cupboard shelf and closed the door.
She said to Tom, “I have to go to the store for some things. You go out and play, and remember, that cake is not to be touched until dinner time.”
Tom went outside and soon forgot about the cake as he played street hockey with his friends. After a while a couple of the boys were called home, and the game broke up.
With nothing to do, Tom decided to go in the house for a drink. The game had made him thirsty. As he got a glass out of the cupboard, he saw the chocolate cake sitting on the shelf.
Boy, does it look good, thought Tom.
He kept looking at it and his mouth watered, he wanted some so badly. He kept telling himself that Mom had said he shouldn’t touch it. But he really wanted a piece—chocolate was his favorite.
If I just snitch a little icing off the side near the bottom, nobody will know the difference, he thought. My finger’s dirty... if I use a spoon it won’t hurt the cake.
He reached in the drawer for a spoon and took a spoonful of icing with just a little cake. It was so good that he just had to take one more. Then he heard a car door slam. Mom’s home! Now what do I do?
Just then he saw Tammy, the cat, walk into the kitchen. She had often been caught up on the counter in the kitchen and sometimes even on the table helping herself to food. Tom thought quickly. By the time his mother had the key in the front door, he had closed all the doors into the kitchen and was in his own room. Tammy was in the kitchen and could not get out. His mother would find her there.
Sometime later when his mother called him for dinner, Tom came running at once, making his best attempt to whistle. He stole a quick glance at his mother to see if she looked angry. She didn’t, and he wondered if she had noticed the little piece out of the cake. He went to wash his hands without even being told. He was going to try to be as good as he could.
But before long his mother called him to come to the kitchen. “Tom,” she said in a stern voice, “you have disobeyed me! I told you not to touch that cake. I let you lick the bowl, and then you turned around and did what I told you not to do!”
“Me, Mom?” questioned Tom. “I’ve been out playing... it must have been Tammy. That bad cat has been into the food again.”
His mother reached into the sink and picked up the spoon that still had some icing on it. “Tom,” she said sternly, “cats don’t use spoons.”
Tom’s face got red and his eyes dropped. He couldn’t look at his mother. That Bible verse flashed into his mind – “Be sure your sin will find you out.” The spoon proved that he was guilty.
When we do wrong, as Tom did, it is not just our parents or friends whom we hurt. We sin against God. God tells us in the Bible that “the wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23). But God in His great love for sinners sent His Son to die on the cross and bear the punishment for the sins of every sinner who will come to Him for forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [sin].” 1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).
If you will admit to the Lord Jesus that you are a guilty sinner, He will forgive you right now.
ML-08/04/1991
AUGUST 4, 1991