So I am in the store one day (Target of course, with an Iced vente quad shot white chocolate mocha), in the check out line, and the lady in front of me had just ended a phone conversation where she was relaying how involved she was at her local church, and how involved she was in Sunday School, and how the church office would practically fall apart with out her..... She moved forward, where the cashier greeted her with a smile, and said, "Hello, did you find everything you needed today?".... The "church lady" peered at the cashier over the rim of her glasses, that were slipping down to the pointy end of her nose, and replied " No, but I never do, you guys are always out of what I need!" Taken aback a little, the young cashier says, " I am so sorry, can I get someone to help you with the other items you needed? We are remodeling and we might have just placed the items somewhere else temporarily." The lady, replied "No, I don't have time to wait".
Thinking, that I could somehow decrease the discomfort this young lady was feeling, I spoke up and said "That happens to me sometimes, but the nice thing is, Target restocks really quick, and if it is on sale today, you can get a rain check. You should check back tomorrow." Never looking up, the cashier, smiled just a tad, and the church lady, just rolled her eyes.....
It was my turn at the register, and I felt obligated to show this young lady what a real christian is all about, a real "church lady" if you will.....the cashier skipped her usual greeting and went straight to "Thank you", and replied, "no big, she was probably having a rough day from the moment she woke up, coming here and not finding what she wanted probably had nothing to do with what is bothering her"..I said. She replied " where do you go to church?"."I go to one church but two locations"I said.... "huh?', I giggled.... I go to church on Sundays and Thurdays in Corona, but we have a Saturday service here in HD. "Oh" she replied..Well, I have tried church, but people judge me, and their mean, like that lady was". Ouch.... this really stung....had I ever been judgemental and hurt someone like that? I told this young lady, that the idea of being a christian, was to love other people with the love of Christ. God didn't send us here to be the judge of man, he sent us here to love souls so He could save them....
I assured her that she would be welcome to come to service, and she would be loved and she wouldn't be judge for her appearance.. see, she had many piercings and some tattoos.. I told her God loves you just as you are, and he wants a relationship with you.... she hasn't come yet, but I left her with the info, and hopefully a better out look of what a "church lady" is....
As I left the store, I began to think of myself, and my treatment of others. You never know when you encounter a person, what their situation is. Did that young girl pray that morning.".God, if your actually real, send someone to tell me?" . What if I would have been self absorbed and didn't share Gods love with her? Even worse, what if I would have judged her, and disregarded her feelings because I was miserable with myself like the other customer? What if that girl decided..there are no good people on this earth, God is not real, and ended her life? Extreme thought?... yes... it is, but we are living in extreme times...extreme hurt, extreme depression, extreme despair.... On my way home, I prayed..." God, please, do what ever you need to do to my heart..don't ever let me become like that woman. Please let me see other people through your love, help me to always be sensitive to those around me that are hurting, and in need of you.".
I was thinking about the other woman, the church lady... what is her deal? Wonder what was going on in her life...I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I knew that that was not the spirit I wanted...
It wasn't till this week that this scripture really popped out at me
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.Prov 18:12
WOW! It was a haughty spirit.....that's what was going on with the lady at the store.."God, help me to never take on a haughty spirit".....with out God, I am nothing, with God I am still only a servant......
After reading this chapter and referencing a few other verses( I recommend a study on this..very encouraging) I started thinking about a dear friend of mine...Camille....Camille and I have known each other for 15 years. Camille is that lady that you always want to be around. Camille is beautiful, great hair. She's got the beautiful house, perfect kids, great husband, educated, great cook, and just all around fun!....But that's, not what draws you to Camille. What draws a person to Camille is her spirit...regardless of your situation, how you feel about yourself, whether you are friend or stranger.....she has this ability, to make you feel important...do you know why? its because she has the spirit of Humility.....see Camille can encounter a person, and she might have a nicer house, or maybe her family has more stability, but she will always share Gods love....she will always relate how, she too has had situations that she's had to work through with God. She has put away from her a haughty spirit and taken on a spirit of humility.... WOW...you make her sound like a saint, you might be saying. Thats not my intent, I am pointing out that , through the love of Christ she has allowed herself to be used, just by being humble and showing kindness in the simple things... I want to be just like this... I want to be the lady who draw people to Christ through my spirit.... and I always want to be humble before God....
I want to leave you with one challenge today.... when you are out and about, find one person, that you can encourage. Let them see the love of Christ through your humility.... you never know their situation, you never know just what it took to get that person to that place where they are in your path today.... don't waste a oppertunity on a haughty spirit....
God Bless You,
J
No comments:
Post a Comment