An interesting dilemma

A week ago at the Champions club that I am now the director for (3rd through 6th grade boys and girls) we had a purse stolen. Last night we talked about stealing and said that the purse could be returned no questions asked by whomever took it. Well, we located the purse and found out who the two girls were who stole it. We also found out that the contents of the purse are gone and will probably not accompany the purse when it is returned. Because we only have dribs and drabs of what happened we can't come to any definitive conclusions about what actually went down. I am 99% sure that the girls that I confronted about the crime are more involved than they are admitting, but I cannot be sure. Therefore any conclusions I draw in the matter are judgments - albeit good ones I think.

So where does that leave me? Part of me is disappointed that we have to deal with something like this in a church setting...and part of me is thrilled. The fact that I would be disappointed is obvious, but the thrilling part? How so?

I will not be in a church that is so safe that we can leave the keys in the ignition of our cars when we enter the building. That just smacks too heavily of a country club to me and shows me that the right people are not darkening our door - or prowling our grounds. Also, this little girl who had her purse stolen is given a great opportunity to grow more Christ-like through this. I am as well. This is the furnace that purifies and makes us holy. It stinks, but fire burns, and our Messiah baptizes us with it more often than we want to be.

So, yeah, we need to tread carefully. Stealing, hurting...all of it is to be handled carefully and with great wisdom for the victim as well as the perpetrator. But thanks be to God we are dealing with it here. We'll all be better for it.