The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.” —Exodus 14:14 (NIV)
Scanning the checkout lines at the grocery store, I quickly steered my cart to line number three. There were only two women there, and neither had kids or, worse, coupons! The store was my first stop that morning, and I had a half dozen others on my list before meeting my husband for lunch.
Two minutes turned into ten, and I watched as the other lines moved quickly. I rustled my items on the cart and dug for my wallet, “subtle” hints to the cashier that it was time to get a move-on. Finally, after fifteen minutes, I took a breath and sighed. Then I heard the cashier tell the women in front of me: “And just like that, he told me what she looked like and left one hundred dollars on the register to pay for her groceries. He said not to worry about the change, just give it to charity.”
The story she was sharing had taken place in the produce department. An older man had witnessed a worn-out mama in need. Shopping for staples with kids in tow, she was sticking to her list and adding the items on her calculator as she went. The gentleman said he had a little extra on him that day, so he left one hundred dollars to cover her groceries and, just maybe, add a little wiggle room to her budget.
After hearing about the man who had quietly served a fellow traveler in life, I realized that my hurry, angst and general frustration were misplaced. What’s five extra minutes in a line to hear a story of a man sharing God’s love? Suddenly, I knew I could wait.
Remind me, Lord, that fifteen minutes in traffic, on hold or in line is simply a guilt-free excuse to spend time with You.
