When we were young, my brother Rob and I had lots of fun together. But we were not always good; we were often naughty. There were times when Mom told us to do something, but we ended up in doing just the opposite. We hadn’t yet learned the importance of the scripture: “Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not... for whoso findeth Me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord.” Prov. 8:33, 3533Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. (Proverbs 8:33)
35For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord. (Proverbs 8:35).
One summer morning Mother told us to take her grocery cart and do some shopping for her at the supermarket. She specifically instructed us not to go by way of the creek and to come straight home when we were finished.
In a few moments we were off, but all along the way we were plotting and planning how we could get down to the creek without Mom’s finding it out. We decided to visit the creek on our way home.
With our cart packed full of groceries, we trudged down the path towards the woods. Suddenly I said, “You know, Mom told us not to go down here.”
“Oh,” said Rob, “no one sees us, and Mom will never find out because we won’t tell her.” We had forgotten the verse: “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Num. 32:2323But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23).
With my mind a little more at ease, we slowly took the cart down the steep embankment that led to the creek. Already we could see the water splashing over the rocks below. Oh how delightfully inviting it looked!
Suddenly we reached an unexpected soft spot in the gravel, and the cart overturned. Groceries flew everywhere and went rolling down the steep embankment. I became alarmed, but. Rob reassured me that he would recover the groceries and clean off the dirt.
I watched him work and thought how clever he was to get all the dirt off and pack the cart full again. I was relieved as we started home once again. But I had forgotten that verse: “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”
Mom was smarter than we were, and it wasn’t long before she began to ask questions. She noticed the bananas at the bottom of one bag; then a loaf of bread crushed between cans of soup. She knew that no cashier would pack groceries that way. She didn’t have to ask many questions, for our red faces and guilty looks told the tale.
We were punished for our disobedience. I proved that day that disobedience does not pay, but only brings sorrow and shame, whereas obedience and happiness go together. I also learned the truth of that verse: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Prov. 28:1313He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13).
ML-12/05/1976