Church Kid: The Day Everything Changed

By the time I was thirteen or fourteen, life had changed quite a bit.

I had a new friend in the neighborhood, and like a lot of teenagers, I wanted to fit in. Unfortunately, he had a habit of stealing from stores, and before long, I started following his lead.

Looking back, I wish I could tell you I knew better and walked away.

I didn't. 

It started small. A pack of batteries here. A cassette tape there. At the time, I convinced myself it wasn't a big deal.

Then one Saturday, our church youth group took a trip that included a stop at a large store before spending the day at a water park.

While everyone else was shopping, I slipped a few packs of gum into my pocket.

I thought I had gotten away with it.

I hadn't. As I walked toward the exit, a man stopped me. He identified himself as store security and asked me to come with him.

My stomach dropped.

They called my youth leader to the front of the store. I'll never forget the look on his face. He wasn't yelling. He wasn't embarrassed. He was disappointed.

Honestly, I think that hurt more.

After my youth leader got me out of going to jail, we went on to the water park.

On the way in, he quietly looked at me and said something I'll never forget.

"Go ahead and enjoy your day. It's the last good trip you're going to have for a while."

He was right.

Not long after that, I jumped into the wave pool and hurt my ankle so badly I couldn't walk.

I've often wondered if the Lord was getting my attention that day. I can't say for certain, but I know I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on the side of the pool with plenty of time to think about what I had done.

When we got back, my youth leader didn't tell my parents. Instead, he decided he was going to deal with me himself. For the next several months, every sermon meant taking notes.

Every week meant more accountability. There were papers to write, conversations to have, and trust to earn back. At the time, I probably thought he was trying to make my life miserable.

Today...

I'm grateful. That man could have humiliated me. He could have washed his hands of me. He could have refused to change the direction of my life. 

Instead, he cared enough to correct me.

That day changed me.

I haven't stolen anything since.

"For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights."
Proverbs 3:12 (NKJV)

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