Doing What's Right

Connor Halsa, is from Minnesota.  To celebrate the last few days of summer, before starting his freshman year of high school and hockey season, the 14-year-old went fishing with some of his family.  As they came to a favorite spot in the lake, the boat was turned off, and they began to fish.  Within a few minutes, Connor had a big tug on his line.  He jerked hard and kept reeling in his catch.  When the fish was close to the surface of the water, his cousin, Brandon, leaned over the side of the boat with a net.  Instead of a walleye, Connor caught a wallet.  They took the contents out of the billfold and spread them out to dry.  Along with $2,000 cash, they found a business card and a few other items.  In all the excitement Connor replied, “My dad said we should give it to the person, so I told him we should, too.”  Upon contacting Denney, he couldn’t believe his wallet had been found in the lake that is 70 miles long, 70 feet wide, and 20-feet deep and that it was going to be returned.  While fishing the previous summer, the wallet had fallen out of his back pocket and into the lake.  Even though he was offered a reward, Connor refused to keep any of the money.  Denney drove from Iowa to Minnesota to retrieve his wallet.  He gave Connor a fancy customized cooler and took his family to dinner.  Connor expressed, “I learned some great lessons about myself and doing what’s right.  Yeah, to be nice to everyone and like give back to people.  We didn’t work hard for the money, he did, so it was his money.”  

Three teenagers were walking down the sidewalk when they noticed an elderly man trying to cross the busy street with his walker and a bag of groceries.  Just as the man was about to reach the curb, the bag slipped out of his hand and the contents rolled and scattered on the street.  The boys quickly grabbed the items, put them back into the bag, and helped the man up the curb and onto the sidewalk.  They made sure he was stable, and on his way home, before they began riding their skateboards again.

 

Stacy Stanton was looking down at her rather lengthy list of items at the grocery store when she heard, “Ma’am, do you need help?”  Looking up, she noticed a young man approaching an elderly lady.  Stacy realized she had walked past the woman, without even noticing her.  Patiently, the young man listened and located the items needed.  He offered help, without even being asked.  Stacy commented, “There is so much beauty, if only we would look.”

 

Whether it’s through words or actions, may we, too, be caught doing what’s right. 

 

Start children off on the way they should go,

     and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Proverbs 22:6

 

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.

James 2:8