To Catch A Thief
David looked out the window at the deluge. A shifty looking man caught his eye. “Stop!” David yelled. He could see the guy taking off down the street with our laundry tubs. “Get back here with my tubs!”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I wanted water” the man said as he quickly put the tubs down and ran out the gate.
In shock that the thief left our tubs, David went to get the guard. I ran out the door in hot pursuit; skirt blowing behind me, rain soaking me to the skin, “Get back here you thief! Stop that thief! Thief! Thief! Thief!” I yelled. Down the street and around the corner I ran. {David and the guard weren’t very quick in catching up.} Surprisingly, the man stopped. He came back. I yelled at him until he took his hat off and was begging for forgiveness. “No, I’m not forgiving you!” I yelled. “You’re a thief and a liar. You stole our laundry tubs. You thief!” If I forgave him that also meant I would not seek retribution or restitution. I didn’t want to let him “off the hook” until David and the guard arrived. Besides, I wanted to shame him in front of the people who stopped to watch this bizarre scene unfold. {And, by-the-way, I would have paid good money to see myself running through the streets, yelling, in hot pursuit of a crazy man.}
David and the guard arrive. More yelling ensues. More requests for forgiveness. We threaten to take the man to the police. It is obvious he is drunk and our guard says he’s a known drug dealer; stealing and selling all of his families’ possessions to support his habit. David finally agrees to forgive the man and we walk home, soaking wet, in the cool afternoon rain.
The next time, skirt or no skirt, I think I’m going to beat the man with my shoe until he cries. {Which will take a very long time as I wear flip flops.} And then I’ll hog tie him and leave him in the street with a sign that says, “I’m a terrible thief.” And then I’ll take him to the police.
Or maybe not… because my husband is too gracious, and kind, and forgiving. No, probably not, because I doubt that’s what Christ would have done. And am I here to defend myself and my things, or am I here to promote Christ and His Word?
