Not My Finest Moment

Having just turned 61 I'm old enough to recall the newspaper boxes that were strategically placed on busy main streets and neighbourhoods. You could drop quarters into the slot, pull out the front window and grab a paper. Do you remember them?

They are becoming obsolete, some being converted to sharing libraries I think, but regardless, back in the day they were important to me and my friends.

We discovered that some of the boxes were designed with the change box externally attached and we could access those boxes with bolt cutters and an assortment of other tools.

So when the opportunity came, we were often prepared with the necessary tools to get the job done.

Eventually however, the newspaper boxes got a redesign, in large measure I'm sure to prevent theft. This became a problem.

One night, I pulled up to a box which was chained to a lamp post. We popped the hood to give us cover, as we decided how to proceed. (Someone actually stopped to offer assistance).

To make a long story short, we cut the chains and threw the entire box into the trunk of my car and drove a few miles into the country. We unloaded the box and with the help of a sledge hammer and crowbar we tackled this stubborn thing.

Suddenly a car came down the country road and we dove to close the car doors to make it dark, and 2 of my friends ran through the corn fields. We knew right away why...they were on probation and didn't want to get caught. The car simply passed us and we laughed as we waited for our friends to return to the scene of the crime.

Eventually we got into the change box, and probably got no more than $20 in quarters. All that work for 20 bucks.

Now you might be asking the obvious question. Why in the world would we risk what we did and go through all that work for 20 dollars...split four-ways.

That's a fair question, and my only defence is we were 16 year old trouble makers with nothing better to do..at least so we thought.

I'm not sure why this memory came to mind this week and I've never told it publicly before.

But let me ask a question...

Do you think it's possible that you and I can still live in such way that it's like scratching and clawing, sweating and putting in endless effort, all for the equivalent of quarters?

Over the past number of weeks we've been exploring what the abundant life looks like. The life that Jesus promised to those who would surrender their lives and follow Him.

I can assure you that driving around in the middle of the night to rob a newspaper box isn't it.

But we can still be in danger of believing that things like wealth, a nice car, a magazine home and a loving family is all we need; that they will bring satisfaction, purpose and meaning when they really won't satisfy our deepest needs.

Or that Jesus is just a nice add-on to all the good things this life has to offer. I failed to see it as a teenager, but what I believe now is that Jesus alone is the abundant life, and is the only way that anything else matters at all.

My actions back then were shameful, but God offers forgiveness, peace, meaning and hope in Him and through Him. I wouldn't give that up for anything.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

What do you think? Where might you be putting effort into the wrong things or expecting something to deliver what it can't?

Until next time - Dan