I felt compelled to confront him and said, "Are you stealing pop? Are you stealing pop? Is that sprite?"
He almost didn't want to acknowledge my presence. But he timidly and with shame said, "Yes."
My heart was beating rapidly as I was nervous or had adrenaline. I told him, "That's stealing. We call that stealing. Why don't you pour it out?"
So he did. I felt bad that I was rough on him. They walked away. I went to get some cash out of my wallet. But when I turned around he and his friend had vanished.
I wish I had said something more gracious or compassionate. And I easily could've brought Jesus Christ into the conversation. I don't regret saying something. I just think I could've said more.
I saw a different man steal mountain dew at culvers recently. I didn't say anything then. But I wish I had.
A few years ago I was buying a sugary cappuccino drink from Speedway at 7am on my way to work when I saw a man put a breakfast biscuit sandwich in his pocket. I followed him for two seconds and loudly said, "This man is stealing. He has a sandwich in his pocket! Hello Speedway workers. This man is stealing."
The guy turns to me and said, "I was going up pay for it. I have money," as he rushed some bills out of his other pocket. He knew he was guilty. I shamed him again and said, "God doesn't want us to steal."
I think I repeated that line when his older (and stronger) coworker came up to me and threatened, "Leave him alone or I'll kick your ass."
So I left him alone. They left the store and I recovered from my rapidly beating heart.
The speedway workers thanked me and I was able to calm down. My heart is beating fast just thinking about that story.
I used to steal soft drinks from fast food places all the time. And i stole thousands of things from stores wherever I went. I didn't think it was a big deal. But then Jesus Christ confronted me and brought me to faith. What an amazing change He has done in my life. I'm so happy that He is free too.
Why is confrontation such a joy for you?
ReplyDeleteI used to "need" to confront unbelievers when they sinned. I think back then I turned more people away from God than towards him. In fact, I *know* I did because some of them expressly told me this many years later.
If your goal is to offer a new perspective to the blind, that might work. But if your goal is "to shame them" that might work instead.
I can't speak definitively for Mike but I don't believe his intent was to shame the person who was caught in sin. In fact, Mike was hoping to talk with the "offender" but he quickly left. Of course, we can always reevaluate our approach, our wording, and our motive in confronting someone. But if we don't speak truth to someone in love, then they continue in their deception and that really isn't loving then, is it? Of course, only God can open the eyes of the blind. Yet, we might be the instrument that God uses to teach others about his commands. The point of confrontation is not to drive them to shame, guilt, and despair but so they might see their sin and realize their only hope is in the Savior and not in their selfish plan.
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