A Moral Delima

Is It Really Their Loss and My Gain?
By Susan Jones
 
My daughter came to visit from California and we went to Porter’s as we always do. She wanted to make a quilt and found the perfect fabric and pattern in a kit. When she gave the cashier the credit card the cashier said, “$20.00.” We had expected more and went out to the car with the bag to study the receipt. She determined that she was charged for the pattern but not the whole kit. Therein lays the dilemma which shouldn’t be such a hard decision if you have any morals at all. But this was a 35 year old woman too old for her mom to tell her what to do. So I waited for her to think it through.
“We spend a lot of money at Porters and you know there is a big mark up. They won’t miss it.”
“Well, they have to pay their workers out of the profits.”
“What would you think of me if I just walk away?”
“It is more of a matter of what will you think of yourself? I think your conscience would always bother you and you wouldn’t be able to let it go.” 
“I think I could.”
“If they had overcharged you a quarter you would expect them to make it right.”
“True.”
“It is a matter of being honest and doing the right thing. You think about it while I go pick up a prescription.”
A little later she said, “Take me back to Porter’s. How should I do this?”
“Just take the receipt and the kit in and explain what you think happened.”
And she did and paid the remainder of the bill. Now what is the reward for doing what is right?
The cashier thanked her for coming back in and that makes you feel good. And you feel relieved of a quandary and your character is intact.
But for me I wanted to tell everyone we met that my daughter had a moral dilemma and she chose the right. I was so proud of her. Maybe because it reflects on the parents; “Raise up a child in the way that they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 You can always hope.