We are starting a new series for our website audience. This will be modern parables of sorts. We hope you enjoy!
Give Or Take
The music died down as some applause rang out briefly. Words of encouragement settled on souls as the group parted for the week. Most students headed out to find their families or continued talking about the evening’s lesson. A few stayed behind to help the youth pastors clean up the room, though destruction was minimal, reduced to picking up some plates or cups that had been abandoned on the tables in the back or on the ground by chairs.
Lisa wandered about nervously, attempting to gather enough courage to speak with Ms. Victoria, one of the two youth pastors. She was laughing with a couple of students as they threw away some of the trash. Lisa was quickly losing her nerves, and after a few more minutes, she began to head out when someone called her name.
She turned to the voice and realized Ms. Victoria was walking towards her, the conversation with the other students had finished. “How are you doing, Lisa? I noticed you were hanging back. Is everything ok?”
The teen shifted slightly, still unsure about opening up about her issue. “I’m alright, I guess. I just—I have a problem, but I don’t want to get in trouble,” she finally confessed.
“This is a safe space,” the woman smiled softly, trying to reassure the girl. “If there’s something I can help you with, I’m happy to help. This will remain between us if you want. You won’t get in any trouble. Why don’t we go back and sit at one of the tables and talk? No one will bother us.”
After a moment, Lisa agreed and the two made their way to the back of the room, sitting at one of the tables to talk. Mr. Jones seemed to realize what was going on and kept the stragglers towards the front of the room with him, giving the pair some space to talk freely.
Ms. Victoria waited patiently for Lisa to speak, not wanting to push and cause her to shut down. With a heavy sigh, Lisa decided to divulge her ordeal.
“I was out with some friends this week at the mall. I don’t want to say who I was with, but it’s been bothering me ever since,” she started. “We were at one of the stores, and they were looking at some makeup and picked some things up. They put it in their purses and pockets. I never imagined they would do something like that.”
The woman’s brows raised with concern. “That is quite the problem. Did you ask them about paying?”
“I tried. I said it wasn’t right to steal, but they said the company makes enough money, so what are a few products going to do if they go missing? I mean, they have a point, but it still feels wrong.” The distraught look on Lisa’s face pulled at the woman’s heart.
Ms. Victoria shook her head. “You’re correct about it being bad. Where are we told that stealing is wrong?”
“The Ten Commandments,” Lisa answered automatically.
The woman nodded, “Yes, that’s exactly right. When we take from someone, they are forced to go without. Some companies give bonuses or other benefits to stores based on how much they sell. If stock is lost, then those employees may miss out on potentially needed income. The money has to be made up somewhere. Thieves don’t come across their belongings legally, so it puts them at risk of being caught and going to jail as well.”
Lisa lowered her head, “I never thought of it like that. My friends aren’t bad people, and they don’t go without. They said they steal all the time. They probably think they won’t get caught, but I doubt they realize they may be hurting others like that. I don’t want to get in trouble because of them either.”
Ms. Victoria reached out and placed her hand on Lisa’s shoulder. “I’m proud of you for coming forward and being honest. You’re not in trouble. It takes courage to stand up against your friends for something you believe in. I’d be happy to help you figure out what to say to them if you’d like.”
“I’d really appreciate it. I don’t want them to get mad at me, but I don’t feel right with what they’re doing either.”
The two spent some time going over scenarios and how to respond, working to give Lisa a firm foundation on how to speak to her friends about stealing being wrong. The teen left the youth group that evening with much more confidence, prepared to stand up for her beliefs and try to change her friends’ minds.
When the youth group service ended the following weekend, Ms. Victoria made her way over to Lisa, curious about how her confrontation with her friends went.
“How are you doing, Lisa? Did things work out?”
Lisa gave a half smile and a shrug, “I talked to my friends at school and told them I wanted them to stop stealing. I told them what you said, about how the employees may miss out on bonuses and stuff. One of my friends really felt bad and even went to the mall and paid the store. She apologized and promised never to steal again. My other friend said she didn’t care and that it wasn’t her problem. We told the company about her. She’s banned from shopping there ever again. So, we’re not friends anymore, but that’s probably for the best. I don’t want to be around someone who makes me feel so bad like that and puts me in danger.”
“That’s a very mature and wonderful mindset. Sometimes people are in our lives for a season, to teach us lessons we need to learn. You stood up for your beliefs and changed someone’s life for the better. We can only pray your lost friend will learn and grow from these mistakes. I’m proud of you for standing up to them.”
“Thanks, Ms. Victoria. I couldn’t have done it without your help. It wasn’t easy, and I do hate that I lost a friend over it, but I feel so much better. I know I did the right thing.”
The woman smiled. “Life will be full of trials, but we don’t go through them alone. I’m here if you need to talk about anything. Always listen to what God lays on your heart, and He will always lead you true.”