Tag: crime

Posted in Easter, fear, forgiveness, Grace, Integrity, school days, Scripture

Sinning Starts Early

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9

I used to think I was a pretty good kid. As I have shared with you from my past, certain memories come to life. Some are humorous, some are serious, some are painful, and some are, well, criminal. I still think the crime of the century was when I decided to rob the little world bank that my Momma brought home from church…for safekeeping. But there was at least one more thing that I did that proved for certain I was, and still am, a sinner.

I was probably eight years old.  While there wasn’t a WalMart to be found there were other stores that were the forerunners of today’s retail mega-giant.  Ours was called Atlantic Mills and it was the place to go for good deals for just about anything you could imagine.  I remember it well because that is where we bought our Easter outfits.  We would go either Friday or Saturday before Easter (depending on Daddy’s payday, of course) and the girls would get their patent leather shoes and frilly dresses and I would get a shirt and tie.  Even then it was quite the event.

Easter wasn’t the only time we went to Atlantic Mills.  We would occasionally go just to shop around.  Of course, at my young age, I equated shopping with buying. I still do.  Why go to a store if you aren’t going to buy something? That’s like going to a restaurant with no intention of eating.  What? Really? So, anyway, one time we went, and it was one of those times when we weren’t buying—we were looking.  Well, that just didn’t work for me, so I started begging Momma for a dollar.  Now, keep in mind, a dollar in 1962 was the equivalent of the entire economy of a third world country.

Momma said no. Period, nada, ain’t gonna happen.  Well, I kept begging. (I was pretty good at it.  Give me enough time and I could wear anyone down.) Finally, out of shear desperation, she reached in her purse and pulled out—a quarter.  Was I grateful?  Of course not.  Even then a quarter just didn’t have a lot of buying power.  I finally gave up and took my quarter to look for a treasure.  Two things happened in the next few minutes. First, I started feeling guilty for hassling my Momma and decided I should spend the quarter to buy something for her.  Someone say, “Awww.”

The second thing was I realized that besides candy, there wasn’t a lot in Atlantic Mills for a quarter. Well, I looked around and found a pretty scarf that I just knew my Momma would like.  The problem was it was something like $1.49.  So, my young sinner/criminal mind began cooking something up.  I wasn’t about to outright steal it.  That could get you hard time.  So, I decided that I would switch the price tags.  I looked around and found something for a quarter, found a place where no one could see me, and carefully removed that price tag and put it on the scarf.  There. Done deal.  No one would ever know the difference.  Oops.

I went to the checkout counter and found out two things.  First, did you know even then there was a code on the price tag indicating what department it came from.  I found out too late that they didn’t sell scarfs in hardware.  Second, the checkout lady was not a newcomer to the checkout business, and she quickly realized that this scarf was worth more than a quarter.  Bottom line—she nailed me.  She looked down at my frightened face and into my tearing eyes and said, “Did you switch this price tag?”  Well, I “spilled my guts” and I believe I even told her why.  She didn’t turn me in…she didn’t have too. Her words were enough punishment.  I walked away a mess with my quarter still in my hand. As far as I remember I didn’t buy anything that day and I guess I gave the quarter back to Momma. It was a total disaster.

Now, before you act as the States Attorney and put me on trial, the stature of limitations has expired on this.  And besides that, I was just doing what sinners do—sin. And since we are all sinners, all of us can probably identify with this sin thing. It didn’t matter that I was eight—I was old enough to know better.  I don’t know if I told Momma or not but that didn’t matter because God knew, and He is even more important than Momma. It is things like this, and a lot more, that make me a big fan of God.  The way He extends His grace to sinners like me is just amazing.  It is so amazing they wrote a song about it.

I well remember the guilt and shame I felt that day which probably means I did confess to God and probably to Momma too.  I’m sure both forgave me.  A guy named John, who was a BFF (best friend forever) of Jesus and who wrote some of the New Testament said that if we are willing to confess our sins, God is more than willing to forgive us.  That is good news. And the best part?  There are no limitations. His love and grace go longer and further than the “Energizer bunny.” No matter what, if we come to Him in sincerity, He will sincerely forgive us.  He can handle my eight-year-old sins and my sins today.  And, as always, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, Trials

Switches and Sand Spurs

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” Hebrews 12:11

Well, I suppose it worked. Overall, I’m pretty sure I turned out ok. I’ve only had one speeding ticket, had one accident, and have never spent a night in jail.  Of course, that may have to do with the fact that I am a pastor. That doesn’t mean I’m too good to go to jail, it only means that church people don’t take too kindly to their preacher being arrested and going there.

Recently, I told my oldest sister that the older I get, the more I appreciate my Momma and Daddy.  I’m pretty sure that so many of the things I get right are because of my upbringing and of course, they were responsible for that.  Momma and Daddy shared the discipline part of child rearing.  Momma was more the “go get a switch from the bamboo bush” and Daddy was the more “wait a minute while I get my belt off” kinda guy. But you know, never was their discipline out of balance and more than once…I got off scot-free.

One time I chucked a rock at a car and Daddy promised me a lesson I wouldn’t soon forget.  When we got home, I ran inside and hid under the dining room table. For whatever reason, he chose to extend a boatload of grace and I know two things.  First, I was plenty grateful and second, I never chucked another rock at another car.  Lesson learned.

Every once in a while, Daddy would get more creative.  While I can’t remember the why or the frequency, he had one special way of helping me learn.  You see, in Florida we had these prickly things called “sand spurs.”  They could and would grow anywhere but they seemed partial to our front yard.  Well, one of Daddy’s ways of dealing with them is also one of the ways he dealt with me.  When I did something that was punishment worthy, he would take me to the front yard and have me pull the sand spurs up and out of the yard.  Like a goat mowing the yard, I would work my way over the right side, it was always the right side of the yard pulling every sand spur I could find.  I really, really didn’t like it and I am sure whatever crime I committed, I learned quickly to not do it again.

The Bible, God’s book, also teaches us about discipline.  It says, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” We don’t know who wrote the book of Hebrews but whoever it was seemed to know a lot about switches, belts, and sand spurs.  And do you know what else?  They were certainly right.  Discipline is never, ever pleasant.

So, looking back I am glad that my Momma and Daddy cared enough to try and raise me right.  And I am glad that my Dearest Daddy in heaven does too.  He knows when I’m wrong and He knows when and what is needed to put me back on the straight and narrow.  And even better than my parents, He is never excessive and is always graceful. I like that…a lot.  No matter the crime, His actions toward me have one purpose—redemption. I can trust Him no matter what and when I need some correction, like everything else, I know for sure, “He’s got that.”  Bro. Dewayne