As I am about to launch into a new phase in my life, God has been nudging me gently about old 'debts' I need to repay as reformed Zaccheus.
When I started listening to pop music in high school, I couldn't afford to buy original CD's and I was too afraid to ask my parents for the money. Therefore, I secretly bought a couple of pirated CD's. After my mom found out about it, she told me off and told me to go to her whenever I wanted to get a CD and she would it get it for me if it was a reasonable choice. Since then, I've tried very hard to stay on the narrow path in terms of copyright, buying software or music etc.
I remember one of those pirated CD's was Alicia Keys's first album. It was one of my favourites at that time. Since then, I've bought 2 of her other original albums. Recently God has nudged me to repurchase original CDs of all these artists that I had ripped off in the past. So today, I started. I bought Songs in A Minor. I owe it to her. Next up will probably be Dido. I don't think there are more. Maybe a couple of jazz artists whose stuff I need to get rid off because they are copies.
It's been a long hard journey towards intergrity in these small matters as well as big matters. I've often struggled with the inconvenience of such decisions.
For anyone reading, I encourage you just as people like Alvin used to encourage our lifegroups 5-6 years ago, please get rid of your pirated music and software. In the end, when we face up to God, we won't have any excuses when He asks us about our integrity in even this small area. It might be more expensive and more inconvenient, but even small decisions that are wrong affect the world's depravity in general. Every action is significant.
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