Several weeks ago, as I was having lunch at a restaurant, a guy ran up to the patio where we were sitting, grabbed my purse, and took off. It was a brief encounter, less than 10 seconds, I would say, but it had lasting ramifications. In that moment, I lost my wallet, cash, my ID’s and credit cards, my keys, my cell phone and on down to the mundane items, my gloves, my sunglasses, my compact and my really cute cosmetic bag. In an instant, it was all gone. Fortunately, it was all “stuff,” stuff that could be replaced. Fortunately, I wasn’t hurt or my colleague. We were shaken, but we were okay. In the aftermath, I have been pondering what I would say, if given the chance, to the guy who stole my purse.
Dear Sir,
I saw you on the sidewalk. I thought you were just a guy like me outside and enjoying the beautiful day. Maybe you thought you would make some quick money. Maybe I just looked like an easy target. When you approached our table, I was preparing to say hello. Little did I know, you didn’t plan to talk. I was astounded when you took off. Like an idiot, I started to run after you, in my dress and boots. I don’t know what I would have said if I had caught up with you – could I have my purse back, please, sir? Of course, I didn’t catch up with you. And the police didn’t either.
When they recovered my phone, I laughed. I can imagine you were disappointed at my old school phone with a cracked screen and none of the bells & whistles. The police said they spotted you offering a woman $10 for a ride out of town. I only had $14 cash in my purse. That didn’t make for much profit.
I actually had much more money hidden. You probably didn’t find it. You probably discarded it along with everything else.
I picture you hiding somewhere and going through everything I had. Most of it was probably junk to you, but it meant something to me. The cosmetic bag my friend gave me for my birthday, my grocery list organizer that made shopping less stressful, my Freebirds card when I was only one burrito away from a free one. Ugh! Since I immediately reported it, you didn’t get the chance to use my debit card or credit card. You probably could care less all the time it took to replace all of them – insurance cards, ID cards, my library card. What was probably discarded by the end of the day for you has taken me weeks to replace.
Was it the thrill of getting away or the satisfaction of a quick score? Was all my junk worth it?
That afternoon at lunch, when this happened, I was having a conversation with my colleague on the power of stereotypes. How ironic. We were in a part of town that is laden with negative stereotypes. You probably have worn those labels for most of your life. I was talking about how to combat stereotypes, particularly for poor black males, and you were busy living it out. Why? Why do you not want your life to count for more? Do you not see a better future?
I wish you wanted to live for something more than petty crime and jail, than drugs or alcohol. I wish you could know that you are made in the image of God Almighty, that He created you for much more. He paid the penalty for your sins and mine. He is the One who can redeem the past and give you a future with hope, much more hope than you seem to have right now.
That morning, well before all this happened, I was having my quiet time. I came across this verse, Ephesians 4:28 – “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work.” In these weeks following the event, that has been my prayer for you. I pray that you find a different path, that God calls out to you wherever you are. I pray that you encounter Him, that you seek His forgiveness, and that you determine to set a new course for your life. If so, you will find a treasure much more valuable and eternal than anything you found in my purse.
Sincerely,
~E
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