Posted in Gods Work

Have any of your children ever done something similar to this?

Child wants something (doesn't matter what it is).  The something is expensive and it is often taken with you.  I am talking big bucks, as in an electric guitar, portable stereo, gameboy, ipod, psp, mp3 player, personal palm, etc.  Perhaps you tell your child you will not purchase the item, but he/she has to earn the money.  So they work for a year and save up enough benjamins for the purchase.  You are proud of your child for working towards a goal and achieving it, and your child is also proud, not to mention EXCITED to get the item. 

Said child is taken to the store and he/she purchases said item.  You give thim/her a pep talk about how hard work pays off in the end and remind them to take care of the item.  Everyone is happy.

Then one day the child looses the item.  What do you do?  You help the child contact the places where you think the item might have been lost and you put up flyers.  Unfortunately, there is no response.  The item is gone. 

Have you ever experienced this? 

Well, let me add a wrinkle.  What if that happened to another family and you found the item?  Here's what happened to me.  Would you believe I found an Ipod one day when we were in the park?  The battery was very low and I couldn't figure out how to work the thing.  Then the battery died.  Not knowing what to do, I finally broke down and purchased a charger to see if the battery might still be workable.  Lo and behold it was.  When the battery charged my computer then registered the new item as Luke's ipod.  Well, I had a name, but no other info.  I struggled for a few weeks with trying to work the thing and then just the other day I stumbled upon a contct list with an email labelled Dad.  I sent an email stating I had found an item that was labeled Luke's and the email address and was wondering if in fact this was Luke's dad's email and how could i return the item.  I didn't mention what I found, incase the info was incorrect or I had the wrong person.  The dad, Scott, sent a return email saying that Luke was his son and gave me his telephone number.  He also said he would be happy to pick the item up. 

Upon receiving the email I called the number and spoke with Scott.  I told him who I was and asked if Luke knew what he was missing.  Scott then mentions that he lost a lunch box.  He paused and then said and an ipod a while back.  I replied, "Well, I happen to have Luke's ipod in my hand."  He was floored, as you can well imagine.  I explained how I got the info.  Then he arranged to come pick it up today.

I raced home from church to meet Scott and his son, Luke.  No big deal, I thought.  I was just about to sit down to do some scrapbooking, when they arrived at the door.  When I saw Luke, my heart began to swell.  I expected an older teenager, but what I saw was a young boy.  When I handed him his ipod, he looked at it almost incredulously.  I suppose he couldn't believe that this was really true.  Scott handed me some money, which I tried to decline, but he insisted since I had to get a charger to retrieve the information and made the effort to return it.  So, I tried to be gracious, and said thank you.  I asked Luke about how long he had worked to earn the money and he told me about a year!  We shook hands and thanked each other again, and off they went. 

I came back in and told the hubby that I felt a little guilty about accepting a reward for the item.  When the hubby picked it up, he at first thought it was a $20 (which would have covered the cost of the charger).  Then we found that Scott had actually given us $60!  Ok, my guilt factor went up immediately, but then I realized that it was a form of gratitude.  So the hubby suggested that we donate the extra money in our offering, which I thought was a wonderful idea, since God was the one that placed me as the finder and lead me to the information that allwoed me to return the ipod. 

Although, I may never see Luke or Scott again, I couldn't sway my mind from thinking about young Luke's experience.  Imagine being a young boy, working a year to buy this cool ipod and then losing it.  By the time 4 months rolls around, you are certain you will never see the ipod again.  Then your dad receives a call.  Isn't it wonderful how God used me as a tool to show Luke a small part of God's principals for living?  I pondered the thought that perhaps Luke had prayed about this issue and asked God for help.  After 4 months Luke would likely have thought his prayer had gone unanswered.  But today, his prayer was answered.  In 15 years, Luke will likely not have the ipod anymore, but the newest gadget of that time.  He may be married and have a child of his own.  He may not remember his game system, what he ate for lunch at school, or what kind of sneakers he wore, but he will always remember the kindness and honesty of a stranger.  He will certainly have a great example of how God works in His time, not ours.  I am humbled that God would choose me for such an important task.

Don't ya just love how God works?