Last week I was at Aldi. For those of you that aren’t familiar, it is a grocery store. It was a Friday evening, I was tired from a long week and just wanted to get my groceries and get home. At this point in the day, I am sure I looked like a weary woman on a mission. You all know what I mean. We’ve all been there. I got through the store, pretty sure I had everything I needed. There was one line open at the time (isn’t that always the way at grocery stores?) as I began to heft my boxes, jars, bags, and cans on the conveyor belt. There was quite a line behind me, lines always make me feel guilty like I am holding everybody up. It wasn’t my fault, but I usually have “full cart” guilt.
It is at times like this that God will use my circumstances to teach me a life lesson.
“Hey, may I help you unload your groceries?”, said the petite dark-haired woman behind me in line. Me, being in a tired daze, looked at her, “Um, you don’t have to do that.” “I don’t mind. My teenage son is usually with me to help me get all the groceries up here and then helps me bag stuff. I know what it is like to have to feel hurried when you are doing it yourself.” “Well, okay. If you want to help me.” She shook her head and began loading cans and boxes well……like a mama. She knew what she was doing. I appreciated her help and told her so. She just shook her head and smiled. I finished going through the line and bagged my stuff and loaded it in the truck. As God would have it, she was in the SUV parked next to me. As she came out and unlocked her vehicle, I thanked her again for her help. She said no problem, now “go home and relax”. I smiled at her.
I was tired. She took a few moments to offer help. She loaded cans and containers. She wasn’t attempting world peace, she was attempting to give me peace through her simple act of kindness.
She made a difference to me, that evening at Aldi. She understood that small acts of kindness can mean a lot to someone in need.
“Dear Heavenly Father, please bless that dark-haired woman from Aldi. I don’t even know her name, but I know that You do. You saw us that evening. You know who we are. Thank you for this simple, sweet lesson. Help me to step out of my comfort zone and show kindness to others. In Jesus name, Amen”.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me…” Matthew 25:40
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…” Galatians 5:22-23
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