Monday,
May 31, 2021
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Romans 12:10
Elizabeth and I were on a mission several years
ago. We were hunting-down a larger
cooler for grocery shopping. The store
we favor is a 30 minute drive and, when the thermometer tops 90°, it’s not good
to have your veggies and frozen fish melting in the trunk. Our pitiful little cooler was hardly big
enough to hold a dozen eggs and head of lettuce. This was a must-accomplish task!
One of the chief characteristics of people who laser-focus
on a task ahead is how they’re so surprised when they discover the task has
already been accomplished. That’s me; guilty
as charged!
Here’s how it happened:
On roughly the 189th store we entered
that day (I’m normally good for 2) we found what we’d found 188 times before…not
a cooler that came close to what we wanted.
On the way out we saw it; a lady had the best cooler ever in the
check-out line. Elizabeth walked up to
her and asked where they kept those prized little gems. I couldn’t hear, but I saw the lady shake her
head “no”. They talked a few moments
(while I figited, figuring this meant we would head for store #190
shortly). Then, the lady picked up the
cooler and handed it to Elizabeth.
YES! 189
stores and no more! I was about to pick
up my bride and twirl her in that romantic dance move all around the check-out
area; we had prevailed, accomplished the mission. That’s when Elizabeth unveiled the surprise. The lady was about to purchase the last
cooler in the store; it was on sale, for a ridiculously-low price, and had
released the coveted trophy into our keeping with these words: here – you take it. I already have one, and you need it.
I was shocked to a standstill. I felt like Moses; I wanted to take off my shoes
and stay at this holy ground burning bush forever. Where, o where, was that kind of kindness
found anymore? I wanted to run after
that woman and sit at her feet like the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. This was a miracle.
Now, that sounds like a good cue for the swell of
heartwarming music at the ending of a Hallmark movie – but it’s just the
beginning.
Since that day, whenever it’s grocery store day,
as I’m loading ice or groceries in the cooler, or wheeling the little igloo
into the house for unloading, or cleaning it out afterward, I think of that
woman’s kindness. Truth be told, I cannot
remember what she looked like or the sound of her voice, but the kindness,
simply setting her own wishes aside so she could bless a couple of strangers….well
that speaks so loudly to my soul I can never get the image out of my heart!
For You Today
As
a pastor I’ve heard from many believers, followers of Jesus Christ, that they
don’t know how to be a witness for Jesus; it’s a daunting task that requires
too much risk or personal theological expertise. It’s just above my pay-grade, pastor!
Well,
can you let go of your hold on the cooler?
Can you let someone go ahead of you in the line? Can you smile at the poor woman behind the
counter at the Vehicle Tag office? If
you will give that a whirl, when it comes to being a disciple, a witness for
Jesus, you’ll find you’ve got a lot more game than you thought!
Go
ahead – BE the Surprise!
You
chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!
[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©
