I find it fascinating the times and places that God uses to teach me His ways. I think that I am a quick learner in most things, especially things I am interested in. Obedience has never really been my favorite subject. When I hear a preacher begin a sermon with "today we are going to talk about obedience", I pretty much tune him out. Obedience, righteousness and repentance have always sounded so religious and unattainable. And, quite frankly, I like to have things my way! However, God wants me to live His way so he taught a me wonderful lesson a few years ago about obedience. I often reflect back on that lesson and I wanted to share how God sent me to obedience school one Tuesday morning at the Starbucks in Chattanooga, TN.
It was a normal weekday morning as I headed to the Walmart Tire and Lube Express to have new tires put on my car. I was already a little out of sorts as this is not the way that I like to spend money. The "fun factor" ranks right up there with buying a new washer, toaster or vacuum cleaner. You only spend money on these things when it is absolutely necessary. Anyway,I arrived at Walmart at exactly 6:45 a.m. so that I would be the first person in line. The Walmart tire and lube express opens at 7 a.m. and I was eager to get this done and get on my way. I had some classwork to do at the time so I planned to make this experience a little less painful by walking across the street and getting a cup of coffee at Starbucks while my tires were being replaced. Much to my chagrin, the tire and lube center was not open. The sign says they open at 7 a.m. Well 7 a.m. came and went as did 7:15 and 7:30. I grew more and more agitated with every trip to see if the door was open. Each time that I checked, I would huff and stare at the LARGE sign that had the hours posted. I had already started to formulate the conversation in my head that I was going to have with the manager. You know the one, "my time is important", "if this were MY business....", "standard of excellence", blah, blah, blah! Then the door swings open as I stand there with my hands on my hips taking a mental account of how "right" I am. The lady that opens the door shoots me a glare and never says a word. I follow her into the building and am still waiting for the answer as to why she is late. She goes behind the counter and proceeds to ignore me as I stand there waiting for an explanation or at the very least "can I help you?". She turned her back to me which only turned up my anger. I asked her in the most passive-agressive tone I could muster, "what time does the Tire and Lube Express open?" She whipped around, glared at me and said "whatever time I open the door". I stood there stunned by her insulting answer... only adding to my intolerant injury. I was honestly so shocked by her answer that I was speechless...for a moment. It is moments like these that remind me as to why I don't have a "Jesus Fish" or "honk if you love Jesus" bumper sticker on my car. I am terribly afraid that I am going to give My Jesus a bad wrap. On this particular day, I was feeling more like Jerry Springer and less like Jesus. At that very moment, another man rounded the corner and asked if he could help me. This put a stop to our little "discussion". I was glad for the reprieve as I needed some to formulate my tirade and make sure to hit all my points before I let her have it. So I followed him to pick out my tires. All the while I was busy mapping out my imaginery conversation with the manager as to why this woman needs to be fired. After all, I would be doing Walmart a favor. This woman was a horrible employee and should be working FAR, FAR away from normal people and animals.
After I finished picking out my tires, I made a quick turn towards the front of the store to inform the store manager that he had a rogue employee on his hands. I also had numerous suggestions as how to handle her being a business owner myself. As I walked to the front of the store I heard a "still, small voice" tell me to "go to Starbucks, you can tell him when you get back". Over and over; I heard this deafening, quiet voice urging me to go on to Starbucks. It was almost audible. It was not in my head, because all my head wanted to do was be unkind, hurtful and to tell on her. It was my spirit saying "not now, go to Starbucks".
I only obeyed because I thought it would give me time to write down my points and make my case before meeting with the manager. I certainly did not want to come off like a raving lunatic. So off to Starbucks I went and spent the next two hours or so working on schoolwork, drinking coffee and still having the imaginary conversation with this woman and the store manager in my head. By this time the imaginary conversation had grown to include the store manager, one of the Waltons and quite possibly, the president of the United States. I wanted vindication, I was right and I wanted everyone to know it. My friend Ruthie always says "do you want to be right or do you want to be kind?" I can tell you the honest truth...I wanted to be right. Kind was not on the radar. As I gathered my books to head out the door to go back to pick up my car I once again heard that "still, small voice". The voice said "get that lady a cup of coffee". Needless to say, I kept walking. Get her a cup of coffee?! I don't think so! I continued to walk through the parking lot, all the while hearing the same voice. By the time I reached th intersection to cross the street in front of Walmart, I had become nauseous. Did you know disobedience can make you sick to your stomach...well, it can. "OK, OK!!!", I told God and turned around to go get the tire and lube express lady a cup of coffee. I got up to the counter and ordered the small, plain old coffee. There is went again, the voice told me to get her one of those large, calorie-laden, whipped cream topped sugar bombs that Brittany Spears is always drinking. So I did, huffing and puffing about it the whole way. As I got ready to walk out the door, same voice again..."go back and get her one of those cookie things.... you just don't understand". I explained to God that sugar is incredibly inflammatory and that I was sure than the coffee alone was going to send this poor lady's blood sugar through the roof. Again He whispered to me "you just don't understand". After arguing for a bit, I did it and figured that the sugar crash she would surely have that afternoon would be my vindication. Anyway, I walked back into the tire and lube express with coffee and cookie in hand. Having no idea why and having argued with God about it the whole way. I approached the counter with absolutely no words and handed her the coffee and cookie. It was then and only then that the words that came from me were most certainly that of the Holy Spirit. I opened my mouth and told her that "I was so sorry if we got off to a bad start and that I wanted to give her a peace offering." She looked at me as though I was "out of my tree". Then with tears in her eyes, she began to tell me a story that changed my life forever. As she stood behind the counter and wept, she told me about how her daughter was on drugs and how she was having to raise her grand-daughter who is 15 years old. She said that this very morning her grandaughter had told her that she was pregnant.She continued to tell me that she is all alone and has no idea what she was going to do. She said the conversation with her grand-daughter had made her late for work. I felt compassion that only comes from heaven as I listend to this grandmother who was about to be a great grandmother share her weary story. She would be responsible for the third generation before the second one was even grown. Of course she was late this morning, and of course she was curt. Of course the words that I heard in my spirit, "you just don't understand..." were God's way of telling me that I had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. The cool thing is that God knew...He always knows and He ALWAYS cares.
I still am not sure how she was even upright that Tuesday morning. Yet in the peace offering, God granted her a place of peace to share her hurt and share her burden. Funny thing about shared burdens, they make all parties feel lighter. I left humbled and grateful, prayerful and pensive. The great Teacher had shown up in my world today, and surprisingly, the student learned.
Still His work in Progress,
Heather
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