Recently I got to pay for a lady’s groceries. It was an honor and a privilege. It was one of those opportunities that suddenly came up and then was over just as suddenly. By evening, I had almost forgotten that it had happened, because the day held much more serious matters.
I went to a funeral in the morning. It was for a young man who died of complications from a car accident. He was only twenty-two. His girlfriend of three years grew up on our block. She is heartbroken. He went to school with a couple of our children, and had even been to our house with a group of students for pictures before one of the school dances. The Catholic church was full of young mourners in black. His mother’s sobs could be heard as the casket was brought up the aisle.
Oh God, life and death can be so unfair!
I found myself praying for the precious people in that church, for God to make Himself known to each one. I asked Him to comfort and carry, to give hope, to bring salvation to those who were grieving without Christ. Sometimes I’ve described the general look of the people in our community as “weathered.” So many have had hard lives.
Oh God, this town needs You!
It was after the funeral when I stopped at my local grocery store. I felt strange walking in there right after such a profoundly sad service. But the reality was, I had recently returned from a trip out of town, and our family needed normal, everyday things like eggs, bread, and vegetables.
Oh God, this is so weird. Life can be so weird!
As I approached the checkout and swiped my loyalty card, I overheard the woman whose back was to mine at the next register. “Well, that is the card I use all the time. I don’t know my pin number; I don’t use it. What am I going to do?” I listened some more and understood that the new bankcard she was using had a chip in it and now she would need to learn her forgotten pin. I surreptitiously turned and glanced at the register display. Her bill was a little over $27. I said, “Let’s just use my card.” Then I saw the elderly woman’s face whose voice I had been listening to. She had that precious weathered look, and now in distress grabbed my arm and asked, “But how will I pay you back?” I smiled into her light blue eyes and said, “You just enjoy this as a gift from God.”
It got a little awkward then, as it took several steps to use my new bank card with a chip, but we accomplished the transaction. The cashier said several times, “That was so nice of you,” and maybe it was. I do know it was fun!
Even as I wondered in my heart if I would have been so spontaneous if the bill had been $127, I thanked God for the opportunity and the pleasure of blessing that woman.
Oh God, You would tell me what to do if the bill was larger, right? Help me not to worry about that. Thank You for letting me show Your love today. I needed that too.