Christian Living

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Tacos And More…
© 2006
by

Stephen A. Peterson


On October 12, 2005 late in the afternoon, 17 year old Dom walked into an Oklahoma City Taco Bueno and bought a 10 taco value meal. He took his tacos to a local park to be with his new girlfriend under the shade of the huge oak tree that dominated the landscape.

Upon reaching into the box of tacos, he received a surprise. Instead of tacos, he discovered a bank full of money. The box contained more than twelve thousand dollars in cash. Dom took the money back to the restaurant and asked for tacos in exchange for the money. The manager stood in amazement. He was nearly speechless that a teenage boy would bring this much money back when he could have taken it without anyone ever knowing where it came from. The manager asked Dom for his name. He explained to Dom that he wanted to call one of the local radio stations and Daily Oklahoman newspaper to tell the story of this remarkable teenage boy. he told Dom he would become a model, hero and positive example of honesty and integrity for other young people and inspire them to do likewise.

The teen merely smiled and said: “My girlfriend is waiting for me to show up with her tacos and root beer. I don’t want to disappoint her on our first date. So may I have the tacos please, sir?”

The manager became more impressed with this teenager’s graciousness, good manners and humility. He then begged him to let him announce his good deed to the world. Still Dom, with the same smile on his face, asked: “Sir, I understand and appreciate what you are trying to do. But I’ll like my order of tacos so that I can be on time to meet her in the park.”

“You know. I just don’t get it,” the manager responded. “You are an honest, truly outstanding young man! Most kids your age or any age, for that matter, would never even consider returning as much money as you had in your possession. This is an outstanding opportunity to show the world that teenagers are not all dishonest bums and will rip you off at the drop of a hat. So how ‘bout it. Let me have your name, young man! Please! Say is that your red Lexus out there?”

“Ah, well! No, it isn’t” said the nervous teen. “I stole it so I could impress my girlfriend. But I’ll give it back as soon as I finish my date. Like I said, this is our first date and I want her to really, really like me! So can I have my tacos now, please, sir? I really don’t wanna be late.”

It is so easy to impress those who do not know you very well. Just about everyone alive has done something good not because they believe it is the right thing to do. They do certain things they believe will impress others—i.e., go to church, engage in unmarried, adulterous sexual activity; keeping a spotless house; saying the right words not meaning what you are saying; believing God’s Ten Commandments are nothing more than God’s Ten Suggestions that permit you to do what you want; buying or stealing someone else’s property just to impress others. People do these things because they want others to believe they are someone they are not. However, God knows and sees exactly who and what your really are. The world may think you are the greatest, most wonderful person. But God will find you as guilty as you are. You will enact upon yourself the punishment you will so richly deserve in the hereafter. So many worry about determining the end of the world. They do this hoping they may prepare themselves and set themselves straight with God while ignoring what Jesus so emphatically told everyone to “prepare daily for you do not know the time of the end time.” In the end there will come the day when what you are will matter more than what everyone thought you were!!! You will have no one to blame but yourself if you are condemned to everlasting punishment!!


“He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts God’s ways will become known.” Proverbs 10:9

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