Claim checks or ID's please

I work for the best airline in the USA. They train us on policy and procedure, thoroughly, and expect us to adhere to those guidelines. This was the case in the baggage office the other day. We often get bags in on earlier flights than the passengers. Our policy dictates that when we have retained possession of any bag we must ask for identification or claim ticket to retrieve the bag from our possession. There is a specific employee assingned to monitor the unclaimed bags and follow the procedure as outlined by the company. Just the other day, our office encountered about 20 large sports duffel bags. They all looked the same in color and logo. After we had them for a short time a young man in a sports suit in the same color of the bags and same logo on his shirt approached the mountain of duffels and gestured to the other 19 team mates that he had found their loot. Knowing that the bags belonged to them, they went to grab the bags. The employee monitoring the bags lept into action, asking each team member for an ID or claim ticket. I thought this almost comical. I have seen pictures of the people who have been caught stealing bags, and I'm here to tell you--they do not travel in packs, wearing sport suits and furthermore--other than golf clubs, sports equipment does not yield a hefty price at a pawn shop. My mind raced at the thought of an Ocean's Eleven type of group planning their theft--coordinating the outfits, manpower and arranging for the getaway box truck. But this employee did what she had been instruced to do perfectly and each bag was matched to a player.

How often do we teach our children personal policy and procedures for thwarting the adversary. We tell them to ask questions about ratings on movies and games at friends houses, but how often do they think to ask those questions at an obviously "good" household. To often we and our families become complacent with our surroundings and scoff at those that are doing as they'd been taught when it seem obvious there is no danger. There is always danger. Anyone of those bags could have been given to a perfect stranger. Anyone of our childrens friends could receive a text, game or email from a third party and pass it along in innocence. We must constantly reinforce our personal policy and procedures when it comes to overcoming the adversary. He constantly has an army of Ocean's Eleven type groups waiting and coordinating their efforts to lead us astray. I hope we can all follow the example and diligence of that one faithful employee, and check ID's and claim tickets every time--obvious or not.