About six months ago, I found a $20 bill laying on the floor at Wal-Mart. Nobody was in the area. I could have put it in my wallet and nobody would have known. Well almost nobody: God would have known and I would have known. Then two thoughts quickly ran through my head; “some random person will come up and claim it was theirs and get it even though it wasn’t.” Then this thought “nobody will claim it and Wal-Mart will just keep it and they don’t really need the money.” Then three thoughts got traction in my mind. “This may belong to some person who doesn’t have a lot of money and they will need it.” “This money doesn’t belong to me.” “God would want me to turn it in.” I did that and felt good about that.
Today, as I am writing this I had quite an experience. I go every week to get my dad’s groceries and other items at Wal-Mart. He writes me a check and I cash it and put the bank envelope in my pocket to keep it separate from my other money. I learned the hard way today that this system needed an upgrade. I pulled out his list out of the same pocket and must have pulled out his money too without realizing it. I have gotten much stronger at these things but there was a moment of panic. I looked in the cart, in the area and checked my pants pockets a couple of times. You see this wasn’t $20 but $400.
Part of my mind was still riled up but part began to think about that $20 six months ago. I asked the Lord to have me find it or have someone return it.
I was directed to customer service. I waited in line and then was a lady asked me how she could help me. I told her what had happened and she said there had been some money turned in but she thought it was a lesser amount. She called the customer service manager over. They had locked it in the safe. She asked me how much it was and if I knew what kind of bills were in there. It was the $400 that I had lost. An area manager had found it and turned it in. I asked if I could give him a reward. She said that was against policy but she would give him a big shout out at the manager’s meeting tomorrow and a thank-you from me.
So, what is the moral of this true story. Honesty is always a good policy. The golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. But I do believe there was a greater force at work here. I believe from the Bible and its promises that because I did the right thing 6 months ago that he protected my dad’s money and returned it to me. Several people from my church work at Wal-Mart and they are good, honest hard-working people. This area manager was an honest man and did the right think. I believe some others would have done the right think too; but let’s face it $400 is a lot of money and I think a lot of people would have just kept it.
So, my hat is off to Wal-Mart and its honest employees. My thanks are to God!!!
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7)
Today, as I am writing this I had quite an experience. I go every week to get my dad’s groceries and other items at Wal-Mart. He writes me a check and I cash it and put the bank envelope in my pocket to keep it separate from my other money. I learned the hard way today that this system needed an upgrade. I pulled out his list out of the same pocket and must have pulled out his money too without realizing it. I have gotten much stronger at these things but there was a moment of panic. I looked in the cart, in the area and checked my pants pockets a couple of times. You see this wasn’t $20 but $400.
Part of my mind was still riled up but part began to think about that $20 six months ago. I asked the Lord to have me find it or have someone return it.
I was directed to customer service. I waited in line and then was a lady asked me how she could help me. I told her what had happened and she said there had been some money turned in but she thought it was a lesser amount. She called the customer service manager over. They had locked it in the safe. She asked me how much it was and if I knew what kind of bills were in there. It was the $400 that I had lost. An area manager had found it and turned it in. I asked if I could give him a reward. She said that was against policy but she would give him a big shout out at the manager’s meeting tomorrow and a thank-you from me.
So, what is the moral of this true story. Honesty is always a good policy. The golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. But I do believe there was a greater force at work here. I believe from the Bible and its promises that because I did the right thing 6 months ago that he protected my dad’s money and returned it to me. Several people from my church work at Wal-Mart and they are good, honest hard-working people. This area manager was an honest man and did the right think. I believe some others would have done the right think too; but let’s face it $400 is a lot of money and I think a lot of people would have just kept it.
So, my hat is off to Wal-Mart and its honest employees. My thanks are to God!!!
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7)
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