Peter’s first job was working on the night crew at a grocery store.
After closing time, he and the other employees stocked the shelves. Peter’s
boss had instructed them to always turn the soup cans forward so that the label
could be read easily. But he had gone a little further by saying, “Make sure
that they’re facing forward—three cans back.” One night as Peter was arranging
the shelves, his co-workers began to scoff, “Just make sure the front can is
turned the right way. Who’s gonna know?”
It was a moment of decision for the teenager. Should he obey what his
boss had asked him to do, or just do what was easy?
We’ve all been in similar situations where we’ve had to make a choice.
The apostle Paul encouraged his fellow believers to be obedient even when no
one was watching: “Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to
the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart,
fearing God” (Col. 3:22).
Doing the right thing should not be dependent on whether our employer is
around or if anyone else is watching. It’s not always easy or convenient to be
obedient. But it’s right.
Remember, “to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is
sin” (James 4:17).
Our character is measured by what we do when no one is looking. (RBC)
