This happened while I was taking a break from school and working part-time at a convenience store near my home. One quiet afternoon, the sound of the bell jingling at the door snapped me out of my drowsiness.
I clearly heard the door open, but no customer was in sight. Sensing something strange, I glanced at the security camera and saw a group of children, who looked like elementary school students, sneaking in through the back door. Their behavior was suspicious to anyone observing. From the cashier’s desk, the snack shelves near the back door were hidden from view. Because of this blind spot, two security cameras had been installed near the back, though the children obviously didn’t know that. They quickly grabbed armfuls of sausages and snacks and bolted.
Soon, a chase began. It didn’t take long to catch the children, who immediately started making excuses. After speaking with the store owner, we decided to first inform their parents, since they were so young. I tried to gently explain that “stealing is wrong,” but the frightened children either cried or frantically defended themselves.
When the parents arrived, they all bowed their heads and apologized sincerely. Seeing their heartfelt remorse, I too felt humbled. One mother sternly scolded her child. Hearing the child cry so desperately made my heart ache a little.
“It’s okay, ma’am. They didn’t really do any harm. Your kid looks pretty shaken. Maybe it’s best to just take him home. He’s still young and probably didn’t fully understand what he was doing.”
But his mother was firm.
“No, if we just let it slide because he’s young, he won’t learn it’s wrong. I’m really sorry. If anything like this ever happens again, please let me know right away.”
Only after the boy tearfully promised, “I’ll never do it again,” three times did he finally leave, holding his mother’s hand. As I finished my shift and headed home, many thoughts came to mind. I had once had a similar experience when I was little.
I had spent my entire month’s allowance too quickly, and on the way home from school, lacking money for snacks, I secretly took money from my sister’s piggy bank—twice. At the time, I didn’t even think of it as theft; I was simply thrilled to have spending money. I blew through it all in a day. When my mom found the broken piggy bank, she immediately took me by the hand and marched me to the police station. I clung to her skirt along the way, crying and begging her to forgive me just once. But she was unmoved. Only after standing in punishment in front of the police station did she bring me home.
That evening, as I shared the day’s events with my mom, the memory of that incident came up. My mom laughed heartily.
“Because you remember it so well, you never made the same mistake again. You have no idea what it was like for me back then. You were bawling, people were staring. You’ll understand when you have children of your own someday.”
Until then, I had never really thought about how my mom must have felt. She must have been terribly distressed but hid it from me. Even though it pained her, she knew she had to correct my wrong behavior. Back then, I only saw her as cold and harsh, but looking back now, I feel only gratitude. The parents I saw at the convenience store must have felt the same way.
Perhaps this same principle can be found in our life of faith. Whenever we make mistakes or commit sins, the one who suffers most is not us but God, who bears the pain of our wrongdoing. Yet God does not blame us. Instead, through the loving teachings recorded throughout the 66 books of the Bible, He shows us the right path so that we may be fully equipped with perfect faith, divine nature, and good deeds.
Even though it may not be easy to fully follow all these teachings, if we humbly accept and obey them, we will find ourselves growing more mature in faith. Each day, I will meditate on His words and strive to walk always in the path of righteousness and honesty.