The Lesson Of The Quarter

What I'm about to write about may seem a little "trivial" to some but it is an example of just how deep and common the battle between righteousness and sin for our soul really is.

What I mean by that is the story I'm about tell you is probably something that's happened to everyone hundreds of times (which makes it common) but it also happened in a place where only I know about it (which makes it private or "deep"). Have I got your attention? Hopefully I do.

This past week at work I sat at work station that's in a relatively isolated part of the call center. Each of our cubicles are about 6 ft. X 6ft and some are back in the corners of the room. When you sit in those places the cubical walls, which are about 2-3 feet above your head when you are sitting down isolate you. Anyway, I sat in one of these "isolated" cubical for about 3 days in a row this past week.

On the desk in that cubical was a quarter, 25 cents, 1/4 of a dollar. It was sitting there the first day and was there every day I went back. I don't know whose money it was because no one had laid claim to it. It remained on the desk. So a quarter was sitting on the desk, big deal. Ah but here's where the "battle" part comes in.

Ever since the beginning of the year I've been putting away change as a means of saving up to buy a ventriloquist figure later this year. Not just a "puppet" but a classic figure or dummy as some refer to it. I am really anxious to get it. I'd like to have gotten it "yesterday" but our finances require that I save up for it. To that end I do everything possible to make sure I come home each day with quite a bit of change in my pocket. I break a dollar with every purchase. I even search the washer when I do laundry for loose change. Collecting change to get the figure as quickly as possible is a very selfish desire.

Now back to the quarter. It was just a quarter. I could have easily put it in my pocket and taken it home. No one would notice and if they did they probably wouldn't know who took it for sure. For 3 days I fought with myself about picking it up and taking it home to get me 25 cents closer to my new "vent" figure. If you think this is no big deal let me point out that taking it would have been stealing.

I know it would have been a "little sin". But the magnitude of the sin is not what's important. God commands us not to steal (Exodus 20:15) and desires that we be be honest from the day we are born (Psalms 51:6). Had I decided to disobey God and follow my desire for the smallest of contributions to my "piggy bank" obeying my impatient and selfish desire would have been a sin against The Lord of my life.

It probably wouldn't have even bothered any of my coworkers. No one would have missed a quarter. But as an heir of the Living God, through his son, Jesus Christ, taking the money would have been a reflection of a selfish heart and a sin against Him.

After much temptation I made a conscience decision to let the quarter stay on the desk. I'm not bragging about it to pat myself on the back. Ordinarily I would have just taken it without even thinking about it. I would have taken great pleasure in bringing it home and watching the total on my electronic coin counter go up. But what God has been teaching me over the last few months is that the depth in which the seeds of sin are embedded in my heart is a lot deeper than I have every realized before. The quarter put the issue right there where I had to face it and make a decision based on what I believe God requires of me.

So like I said this may not have been a big deal for you as you read it. But God used that quarter to illustrate and teach me a lesson through the Holy Spirit. He spoke to my heart. The requirement of total submission and obedience that God demands of me, one of His Children, extends to the very deepest parts of my heart and soul and needs to be reflected in even the simplest acts or most private moments of behavior. Not in just the "big things" in life but in "little things" as well.

I found it rather amusing in that while looking for Bible verses that have the word "honest" in them I came a cross this one from Proverbs 19:1: "Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and a fool". And someone who willingly disobeys God for the sake of a small or temporary gain is truly a fool.

Thank You Jesus, Lesson Learned