Conscience & Consequences

Recently, a friend (we will call him Bob) told us a remarkable story of deceit, guilt, and atonement.
Walking with his wife on the main street of a small town, he was approached by a man who called him by name. Although he did not recognize the man by face, he did recognize his voice. The man asked him if he could talk to him for a few minutes, which they did.
More than 40 years ago, Bob had been in a car accident at night when another car with two male occupants came from a side street and they collided. No one was hurt, although the car was totalled. Bob turned off the ignition in the still running vehicle, turned off the lights, and got out to wait for the police.
The other driver was charged, and when it came to court, the other driver, and his passenger told the judge that Bob had been driving without lights. Their case was dismissed.
Several years later, Bob received $1,000.00 in his mailbox from an anonymous source, which he puzzled over for a long time and then forgot.
You have likely guessed by now that the person who stopped him on the street that day was the driver of that vehicle many years ago.
He told Bob that he had not had peace of mind in all those years. He was the source of the money left in Bob’s mailbox, but that had not eased his conscience. He is now a respected businessman in that community, and when he saw Bob on the street, he took the opportunity to make his confession. He also told Bob that because of the guilt he suffered he had worked extra hard to be a “good man” for all the following years.
There are lots of elements in this simple story.
Consequences of our actions - Guilt as a life spoiler - Conscience - Confession -Atonement.
I admit to an admiration and respect for this man who did wrong, suffered for it, and has spent his life trying to atone.