I was home in California recently and my parents and I visited the wonderous land of Costco. We went about our shopping and we got a treat at the food court on the way out. This adventure lasted at least an hour. When then returned home, unpacked our treasures that we never even knew we needed and/or wanted, and then my mom noticed she didn't have her purse. We had trampled all over that store. You have all been in Costco and found something so exciting that you lose your wits. You drop everything and you investigate your find. That purse could be anywhere.
En route back to the store, I called to see if someone had turned it in. They had not. I had all the hope in the world that the purse would be sitting alone in a cart somewhere in the lot. Or sitting on a shelf next to the food processors waiting for my mom to come pick it back up. My parents were less hopeful. They claimed if someone saw it, they would take it, spend all the money and go wild. WHAT? No way. First of all, they would have to be proactive. They would have to find the purse. They would have to take the time to steal it unnoticed. They would have to then purchase things hoping not to get caught. Even more than I think people are good, I think them to be lazy.
Sure enough, the purse was turned into the food court people; everything inside. I bet they didn't even open it to see if there was money in there. They turned it in because had they lost their purse, they would want someone to do the same.
People are living their lives just like you and me. Trying to live a good life. Trying to have fun. Trying to be happy. Being a criminal is not easy. Especially being a criminal who is not caught.
I have met tons of people. Some who have come to Jesus, some who hate religion. All sorts of people with all sorts of different morals. But the bottom line is most have morals. I may not agree with the level of guilt they associate with certain actions. But overall I don't know any thieves. No rapists. No murderers.
I work with all sorts of law-breakers. Even the ones in juvenile hall are good kids. They might fight, they may sell drugs, they may do drugs but they aren't evil. Most people are nice and helpful. And if they aren't, they can quickly get to that point with a little help. People like to feel good.
I am not saying everything is lolipops and roses and we should walk around being gullible and susceptible to being victims of crime. What I am saying is this: generally, people are good.
