Published 10/7/19
By Greg Johnson
What If...
Mom, you’re home with us kids on a hot summer morning. The weatherman predicts it will get up into the nineties. That means it will be miserable unless someone can think of a way to keep cool.
When we say “Water World,” your eyes light up a little, but then you remember.
“It’s expensive to spend a day at one of those places. What is it now, twenty-five dollars?”
“Not for me,” I say. “I can still get in on kid’s prices, since I’m only twelve. And so it’s just ten dollars... I’ll even pay half for me if we can go.”
“That’s twenty-five dollars for me, ten dollars for you, twenty-five dollars for your older brother, and ten dollars for your younger sister. Seventy dollars!”
“Well, call Dad, see what he says.”
Your phone call doesn’t get through. You’ve got to make this decision on your own.
I suppose I could use the VISA card, then have a garage sale in a couple of weeks to pay it off, you think.
“OK, we’ll go... but we can’t be spending a bunch of money on food. Not at those prices. All I’ve got is ten dollars, plus your five dollars. So let’s get an assembly line going here and make some sandwiches we can eat on the way.”
Forty-five minutes later, you’re on your way, confident that Dad won’t be too angry. Driving up, you remember that parking costs five dollars. Now we’re down to ten. Well, it’s too late to back out now, you think.
Climbing out of the car, we start following the masses to the line. After about ten minutes, we reach the front. Scanning the board that lists the prices, you see it: “Adults $25, Kids 11 and under, $10.”
Looking at me, you say, “I thought you said it was twelve and under for ten dollars.”
“Oops.”
Thinking quickly, you realize you could probably get away with saying I’m eleven. After all, you reason, my birthday was just a month ago.
Questions to Think On
• Would you be (or have you ever been) tempted to get away with something like this?
• How do you feel after you fail to do the right thing?
• Have you ever had to go back to a business and make things right?
• Why do Christians sometimes struggle with doing what is right when it seems the answer is obvious?
What Does God Have to Say?
Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.
But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
(c)
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