The Situation
A couple of your school “friends” have found a way to take advantage of an elderly lady in your neighborhood. They do odd jobs for her that she cannot do for herself. You have heard them talking at school how they have short-changed her when they have gone to the store for her, lied about prices, and cut corners on the jobs they have done for her. They have also begun taking small valuables from her home and selling them. You feel awful about this and would like to put a stop to it.
You go to the lady and offer your services. Without exposing your “friends,” you convince her that you can do a very good job for her. She accepts your offer and you start working for her during a school vacation when your “friends” are away. She soon sees that she no longer needs the services of your “friends.”
- What do your “friends” stand to lose?
- What worries do they have if the lady finds out they have been cheating and stealing from her?
- What kinds of things might they do to you under the circumstances?
What will you do if one of the following scenarios develops?
Eight variations (paths) are developed out of this situation and ensuing problem. Follow any single path to completion before exploring other possible paths. Consider the questions that come up at each step along the way. If you do this as a group activity it is fun to let the group members dictate the number or letter to follow. Since they do not know where any step will lead, there is always an element of surprise and interest at each turn in the path. At the end of the activity, spend some time with the Questions for further discussion.
Problem
Your “friends” come around while you are working for the lady and start saying such things as, “What did you do with the old lady’s silver vase that you took out of her attic?” (Something they had stolen and sold.) They make sure she hears their remarks so she will become suspicious of you.
What do you think the lady will do when she hears this?
Choose Development 1 or Development 2.
Development I — After your “friends” have gone, the lady really gets after you about the vase.
Will you continue to cover for these “friends,” or will you expose them?
Choose Development a or Development b
Development a — You deny that you took it and she demands to know where it has gone. You tell her honestly you don’t know where it is. She doesn’t believe you! What do you think she will do next?
Choose Development (1) or Development (2)
Development (I) — A day or two later some neighbors start questioning you about the vase. The lady has obviously started talking about you. You tried to help the lady. Now you are mistrusted and falsely accused by her. Was it worth it? What can you do?
Development (2) — She fires you and threatens to call the police if you don’t return the vase.
Are you responsible for restoring something you did not take? See Psalms 69:4. Since you voluntarily stepped in to help the lady, should you be ready to accept any responsibilities that go with her difficulty? What will you do?
Development b — You deny that you took it and tell her you have reason to believe your “friends” took the vase. If you were the lady, what would you do at this point?
Choose Development (3) or Development (4)
Development (3) — She questions your “friends” a day or two later. They deny everything. They add to her suspicions by asking her to consider why you were so anxious to go to work for her.
Have you made yourself vulnerable to suspicion by getting involved in this situation? Would you do it again? Explain.
Development (4) — She questions your “friends” and they tell her they know you have taken things and tried to sell them to them! In fact, they produce a couple items that they claim to have “bought” from you so they could return them to her.
How will the lady react to this?
Aren’t your “friends” clever? Can a person save his neck by being clever with people? How do you feel about your “friends” when you find out they have done this?
Development 2 — She calls all of you together immediately and demands you show her where the vase is or she will call the police. Now what?
Choose Development c or Development d
Development c — You tell her in front of your “friends” exactly what you overheard at school.
How do you think your “friends” will react to this?
Choose Development (5) or Development (6)
Development (5) — They accuse you of lying and challenge you to prove your charges. They suggest the lady call your parents (who happen to be very strict with you).
What do you think you would do at this point? The problem is coming out into the open. Your actions have, in fact, begun to solve the lady’s problem which is what you set out to do in the first place. But did you expect it to work out like this: Are there unpredictable risks involved when you try to help someone with a problem? Is it worth it?
Development (6) — They deny this and counter with the accusation you lie and cheat “all the time” at school.
Where is the problem heading? Almost certainly there will be no more stealing from the lady from now on. You’ve accomplished this much of your goal. But you’ve paid a price: you have made some enemies and may not have much credibility with the lady, either. Are you prepared to accept these consequences? Will you be ready to help somebody else in the future?
Development d — They tell her they can prove who the thief is. They invite her to have a look at your bike out front, where “they think” you have hidden something that belongs to her. (In fact they have planted one of her valuable rings on your bicycle.)
How low can people get? What’s going to happen to you?
Choose Development (7) or Development (8)
Development (7) — The ring is discovered, and you deny that you took it. They reply that they haven’t been in her house today. Who else could have taken it?
Where does this leave you? What is the worst case scenario that could develop for you at this point? If the worst happens, have you accomplished anything? If so, has it been worth your trouble?
Development (8) — The ring is discovered and you tell the lady these “friends” have set you up. She throws all of you off her property with a vow to call the police.
How do you feel about these developments? What would you do next? Is there anything you can do at this point to regain credibility with the lady? Should you try to achieve reconciliation with her? If so, how?
Questions for further discussion
- How many Bible characters can you think of who were falsely accused in spite of doing what was right?
- In each case,
- why did the righteous get involved in the situation?
- what motivated their enemies to make false accusations against them?
- What happened to the righteous as a result of being falsely accused?
- How did they handle themselves in the face of unfair treatment? Did they let it stop them from doing what was right?
A partial Bible list:
Genesis 39:13-20 — Potiphar’s wife vs. Joseph.
I Kings 21:1-16 — Jezebel vs. Naboth.
Jeremiah 38: 1-6 — The princes vs. Jeremiah.
Matthew 26:59ff — The council vs. Jesus.
Acts 6:8-15 — The synagogue vs. Stephen.
Acts 16:16-23 — The Philippian slave owners vs. Paul.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One