We are jewelry to God

There was that sinking feeling again. It doesn’t happen often but it does happen. I get it, and you get it. We all get it. It comes out of nowhere and you are never ready for it. It happened again just a little while ago. Life was going along well and if I can be pretentious, life was good.
Then BAM! I thought I had misplaced something. The search was on. You think you left it there. In fact we all follow some similar scenarios. You are sure you left it in a certain spot. It wasn’t there so you think of other places you left it. Then your mind starts retracing your steps and everything you did leading up to your realization it isn’t there. Then it hits you. It’s gone. Someone has decided they need it more then you. Polite, just like the word absconds. In English, it means, someone stole something of yours. Not a great feeling, especially if it is some important object or keepsake.
A good number of years ago my daughters had a similar experience. One of their friends was over. Seemed like a nice girl. They all got along and had fun together. Or so it seemed. She came back later that day or maybe it was the next day, when the girls weren’t home. Said she had forgotten something and asked if she could get it. Thinking nothing of it I let her in and went about my normal routine. A day or two later one of the girls asked if I had seen their jewelry. After a little while we realized what happened. Unfortunately we only got back a few pieces at the pawn shop. But what a feeling. The feelings that day were, betrayal, deception, hurt and later resentment followed by pity.
Recently I had a chance to hear the next generation and what they think and feel about stealing. One of our amazing teachers at the Drumbo School was dealing with a missing item of one of her students. Finding one of the other students had picked it up, we decided to use the situation as an object lesson. We asked then how they feel when something goes missing or something like a Game Boy goes missing and you realize someone stole it. There were some great answers that showed feelings and hurts. Then one of the students said, “I don’t care, my parents will just go and buy me another one.” Hummmm. (We’ll let the parents figure out if it was their child).
My bible says in Exodus 20:15, “You shall no steal.” When did this change? Is it now, “Don’t get caught stealing.” Or maybe, “Go ahead, my grandma will buy me another one.” Somewhere, something changed and it doesn’t look good.
I believe God gives us those sinking feelings when we have something stolen, for two reasons. The first is to let us know what it feels like to miss something. It hits you in the pit of your stomach and it doesn’t feel good. The second reason is, when you are tempted to steal, you will remember your feelings and realize someone else will have to feel like you did. The results, you stop, resist and move one. I think this God given feeling will also spur us on to return things that someone lost and you found.
Our spiritual nature is also directly connected to this in the words of a father when his son came home. “He was lost, and is found.” God is missing you. Let Him find you today.
Robin