Buried Dynamite

By Royce Frederick

In 1974, three teenage boys somehow managed to get 22 pounds of dynamite. They must have been very excited at first, but the thrill soon turned to worry. How do you get rid of 22 pounds of dynamite? Secretly they buried it only three inches deep in a vacant lot near a shopping center.

The dynamite rested quietly for four years, but one of the three boys did not. He could not escape the thought that some day some innocent person might be hurt by what he had done. He had now become a man, and he decided to try to correct his mistake while there was still time. He reported the situation to the fire department, and with his help, they located the dynamite. They very carefully dug it up and destroyed it.

Can you imagine how much better that man rested that night? When we have wronged someone, we are tempted to cover it up with excuses or bury it with silence. But concealed wrongs have a way of lingering in a person’s conscience. If we delay in making things right, we only prolong our misery. It is far better to quickly straighten things out (Matt. 5:23-26; Eph. 4:26). We may have to swallow a large lump of pride in order to face up to our wrongs, but the discomfort is only temporary.

Paul said, “...I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men” (Acts 24:16). A clear conscience is a priceless possession.