I get it. Being the father of four children who have filled diapers with the best of them, I understand the unending, insatiable need for diapers. The thought of stealing diapers, however, is about as petty as it gets. Nevertheless, a few years ago the Diaper Bank of North Carolina had 13,000 diapers stolen. Apparently, the thieves weren’t even planning to put them to, well, “good” use on their own children (if they have any). The diapers began showing up at garage sales and on the streets for $4 per package, bringing a potential profit of $24,000 from the stolen diaper packages (Fox News).
It’s sad to think about how low and how trivial the sins people commit are. These thieves have continued to endanger their eternal souls by stealing, of all things, diapers! These crooks are apparently willing to throw heaven away just to make a few bucks and possibly cover a few baby bottoms (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
Sometimes a little perspective is in order. Are stolen diapers worth eternal punishment? If this sounds completely and utterly ridiculous, then you get the point. Let’s make no mistake though, absolutely no sin is worth going to hell for (compare Luke 16:19-31).
It’s easy to get caught up in the heat of a tempting moment (James 1:14-15). We can lie and convince ourselves the silliest and ridiculous sins are worth it. We can persuade ourselves into thinking the sin isn’t all that bad. No matter what we tell ourselves, there is never, ever a sin that is worth risking the eternal reward of heaven for.
Brett Petrillo