I suppose the highest insult I’ve ever received since I moved to Butler in 1962, is for the big loud beep for to sound off as I walk out of the Walmart store. For anyone to insinuate that I’m dishonest is something that floors me.

Here’s the deal: I visit the pharmacy rather often to get medicines for my wife, and there are a few…a very few…that Medicare and our supplementary insurance take care of, so there’s no charge at the pharmacy. As you know, when you buy something, the cash register makes some sort of checkmark to indicate that the item is paid for, and you can walk out without a problem. But apparently, when you get something without a charge on it at the pharmacy, the cash register doesn’t check it off. And as you walk out the door, that big loud beeper starts going, and you have to go back and have someone check it. Which means other people around you look, and see you walk back in to get it taken care of.

That’s highly insulting to me, that some machine is claiming that I’m trying to walk out without paying. And what’s even worse…if my wife, who has a bad hearing problem…would walk out with a zero balance, it would still beep, and she would not hear it. Picture Bill Thornton’s wife, getting stopped and searched in the parking lot! We’d never live it down, because we’re totally honest.

You know, that was something I had to get accustomed to when we first came to Butler. I have lived all my life among people who knew my Dad, and knew me…that our name was good and our conscience was clear. People here had to learn me. Even when I was mayor, and made a statement to the city council, I had a feeling that they were thinking, “well, we’ll wait and see.” Fortunately, our mayor and city administrator system has worked fine, and that question is moot now.

It’s nice to have people know that your word is your bond. That you speak the truth, and that if a clerk gives you too much change, you’ll be back.

This is one of the “plusses” of being a true Christian. As Mark Twain said, “tell the truth and you won’t have to remember what you said.”

But the best part is that the Christian has Heaven to look forward to, after this life is a memory. If you haven’t already, talk to The Lord about it.