Finders Keepers – Not Always

As I pulled a shopping cart out of the BJ’s bin in the parking lot what to my wondering eyes did appear but a box of Hershey bars with almonds.  Someone must have been in a hurry to leave behind such a treasure.  This was “my” day.  It was Friday and it was like getting double manna.  This was meant to be.  I purchased my very first car in Hershey, Pa.  My stepfather worked at Hershey for 40 years. Obviously this was meant to be.  I triumphantly showed it to my wife and she said, “Oh, someone will surely come back for it.  We have to take it in to the desk.”  “What?” I thought. “The person at the desk will take it home tonight.  This is mine.  Finders keepers.  That was the rule I grew up with.”  But as I looked her in the eye I knew better.  There was no use in protesting. Now I could never eat one of those wonderful treasures without feeling guilty. We took it to the lady that checks baskets by the door.

I will never know how many times in the past fifty years this agent from heaven has kept me on the straight and narrow.  When we were in high school one of the teachers told her not to date me lest she spend her life picking me up out of the gutter.  Really!  You can tell I made a good impression on him.  Even my mother maintained my wife kept me out of jail.  I do believe God in His infinite wisdom does send to us the people we need and if we are smart we will not let them go.  I was smart.  At least about this.

Written by Roger Bothwell on June 29, 2012

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org