We are going on vacation tomorrow. The first leg of our trip is driving to Winnipeg, a four hour drive from home. To get to Winnipeg we drive through a piece of Minnesota where I always gas up because it is much cheaper there than here. I wasn't sure that I had enough gas to get us to the gas stop in Minnesota so I decided to get $20 worth of gas at our local gas station. I could have run across the border to the U.S.A. here to get some. It would have only taken 10-15 minutes, but I didn't want to bother with the border crossing and I didn't have enough U.S. money to get gas there and also on the way to Winnipeg. So I was willing to pay an extra 30 cents a litre for the $20 I was going to get here.
The gas station here is full service so I told the attendant I wanted $20 of regular. She set the pump then went off to help other customers. A couple minutes later I realized the pump was still going and I quickly got out to shut it off. It was just over $54.00. The girl saw me get out and came running over to see that it had not stopped at the $20 she said she had set it at.
I was torn as to what to do; as to what the Christian thing was to do. If I had wanted to fill it I would have gone across to get the cheaper gas. Yet I did get much more than $20 worth of gas.
What would you have done? What should I have done as a Christian? Please give me your opinion and feel free to use Scripture to support your point if you like.
We are leaving tomorrow for 2 weeks vacation so it is doubtful (a slight possibility, but doubtful) that I'll be blogging in that time. I look forward to your advice on this issue and I'll let you know what I did when I get back.
Dave
4 comments:
You mean you're going to leave us in suspense for two weeks? Well, here's my opinion...
The right thing for a Christian to do is to pay for the gas you got, even if it was a mistake on the attendant's part. If the attendant was short, she would probably have to pay it herself. The really right thing to do, especially if you are known as a Christian, especially if you are known as a pastor, is to pay it graciously. The really, really right thing, if you are not known as a Christian or a pastor, is to pay it graciously and then introduce yourself as the pastor of the Baptist church. As the song says, "They will know your are Christian by your love."
Hummm....that's one of those trick questions! On one hand, I agree w/ John K. On the other hand, you did only ask for $20. You could have been in a position of ONLY having $20 to your name. As a single mom at one time, it's happened to me. $20 for gas. That's my budget. So, then what? Does it make you LESS of a Christian to NOT pay for what you didn't ask for? I don't think so...
And it is against the law in most places (Alberta included) for the owners to force the attendant to pay for mistakes, drive offs, etc..
So - - I guess I didn't answer your question, but would love to hear what you did!!!
Hi Dave. I actually opened up a post at my blog on this, but since you asked for Scripture, here is one that came to me:
"Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Love, for the Day is Near. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:7-10)
When I first heard this story when talking to my parents on the phone I said I didn't really think it was a "Christian issue". You asked for a certain amount of gas, they gave you too much. Why should you have to pay for someone else's mistake? In fact, there are stores out there (Save-On-Foods, Future Shop) that have policy against trying to charge you too much for a product. If the till rings up higher than the shelf price, not only do you get the shelf price, but another 10% off. Any business with integrity would not even ask you to pay for more than you were given. Another example was when Tim Horton's gave me twice as much food as I asked for; the fellow told me there was an extra chili and bun there, but because he filled the order twice he had to give it too me.
I don't feel I should pay the regular price at Future Shop when the sale price is still posted, I certainly didn't feel the need to pay for two bowls of chili, and I would be quite angry to pay a company more money for gas I did not ask for, and in this case, for more than I needed. You knew how much you needed, and if you wanted more could have got it for a much cheaper price in the USA. I don't understand how just because you are a Christian you should be willing to be taken advantage of. For me it comes down to a matter of truth and justice. I know what I asked for, the clerk knows what I asked for, so how is truth or justice upheld if you have to pay for more than what was intended? Its not.
I said I didn't see it as a Christian issue because quite frankly I would be astounded to learn that Safeway would actually accept the money. What kind of business would do that? However. if it were asked to pay I would likely pay it then write a letter to the head of the company.
I KNOW that my opinion is affected by the fact that this is a business and not an individual person. I am more than willing to forgive and love individuals when they make a mistake or need help from me. But that is not the case here. This is a business, a non-living entity that is gaining from a mistake it made. An entity that can afford to cover its mistake rather than charging a customer for it.
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