There’s a story about a boy at summer camp who received a box of cookies from home. He ate a few and then put the rest under his bed. The next day they were gone. His counselor saw another boy eating them down by the lake, so he approached the first boy and said, “I know who stole your cookies. Would you like to teach him a lesson?” The boy agreed, so the counselor said, “Ask your mom to send you another box of cookies.”
When the new box arrived, the counselor encouraged the boy to share them with the boy who had stolen his cookies. He hesitated, “But why? Shouldn’t he be punished?” But the counselor insisted he find the boy and share his cookies with him.
Later that day, the counselor saw the two boys walking with their arms around each other’s shoulders. The kindness of the first boy so touched the one who stole the cookies that he admitted what he did and insisted his new friend take his pocketknife as payment for his crime.
By looking beyond the obvious wrong doing, the first boy touched the heart of the other who stole from him and made him his friend. Even though the boy had the right to demand retribution, the counselor’s approach created a companion. Paul said, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
When the new box arrived, the counselor encouraged the boy to share them with the boy who had stolen his cookies. He hesitated, “But why? Shouldn’t he be punished?” But the counselor insisted he find the boy and share his cookies with him.
Later that day, the counselor saw the two boys walking with their arms around each other’s shoulders. The kindness of the first boy so touched the one who stole the cookies that he admitted what he did and insisted his new friend take his pocketknife as payment for his crime.
By looking beyond the obvious wrong doing, the first boy touched the heart of the other who stole from him and made him his friend. Even though the boy had the right to demand retribution, the counselor’s approach created a companion. Paul said, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
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