Stealing Watermelons

My Dad grew up on a cotton farm in West Texas .  He recalls that farmers in that 
area would often plant a few watermelon vines in their fields.  The farmers generally wouldn’t grow these melons to sell, but rather to eat – and to share!  Most of the farmers didn’t mind if a group of young people would occasionally grab a melon out 
of their patch and enjoy it together.

Despite the generosity of the local farmers, on occasion a of group of teenagers 
was known to visit one of the local watermelon patches during the night and help themselves to as many delicious watermelons as they could eat.  Not only that, they would also smash some of the melons that they didn’t eat.

Now, why would they do that?  When they probably could have received the farmer’s blessing in obtaining a few melons, why did they choose to steal them under the cover of darkness, and even destroy many of the watermelons that they didn’t even care to eat?

Some would say it was just plain “meanness.”  That is probably true, but we also learn something about ourselves and about how temptation works. . . 

What makes SIN so appealing is that it is pleasurable:  And, there is something about us that finds that pleasure difficult to resist.  So, in our moments of weakness (all too frequent), we indulge ourselves even though we know in our hearts that it is wrong.  We enjoy the pleasure, but only for a moment (see Hebrews 11:24-25).

This is part of SIN'S deception: it promises pleasure but doesn’t advertise that its pleasure is short lived.  It also ignores the consequences.  Sin, therefore, is very alluring.

God has blessed us with everything that we need, and more!  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).  Yet, Satan wants us to believe that there is more to be gained by “stealing” – going outside the will of God to experience some temporal pleasure.  The truth is that this is SIN, and SIN has terrible, eternal consequences (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8).

But God, because of His great love for us, continues to GIVE and GIVE and GIVE.  In fact, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

We show contempt for the love of God when we disobey Him and commit SIN.  
Yet, He will forgive us if we will believe in Jesus  (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins 
in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Matthew 10:32), and be baptized (immersed) in the name of Jesus for  the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38).  Then, as we “walk in the light” of His Word, He will continue to cleanse us from all sin 
(1 John 1:7).

Stealing watermelons may be a thrill to some, but needed forgiveness and true, lasting joy are found in following God’s will.

God bless you!

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

-- "Thanks Dad!

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