Please allow me to share what happened to me tonight. If you don’t want to be encouraged to follow that “inner urging” then feel free to move on. But before you do, let me tell you that I am not sharing this to get pats on the back or “Atta Girl” from any of you. I am sharing this for a couple of reasons: 1) that by posting this I will be able to remember the good feeling I got, and 2) that you might remember and be blessed in the future when you hear and follow that “inner urging.”
As I was leaving SuperBowl Family Entertainment Center in Metropolis, IL tonight, and after a so-so night of bowling, I had the thought that before I started the 22 mile trip home I should go next door to the Dollar General and get a gallon of milk because I am a big milk drinker - every day. I thought to myself “No, I have enough milk for tomorrow.” Then it was like I was arguing with myself when I thought “But then I will have to get out tomorrow or early Saturday morning before breakfast to get milk.” Stubborn me said “Well, I can always make up milk from my dry milk I keep on hand to cook with and I wouldn’t have to get out.” Insistent me said “But then I still wouldn’t have any for Sunday morning before church and besides that won’t taste as good.” Stubborn me mentally shrugged my shoulders and said “OK. This is closer, I can keep it until Saturday morning and not have to make a trip back out in the cold tomorrow.” So, I went, picked up a gallon with the longest expiration date and headed to the checkout.
A young girl-woman (probably an older teenager and no difference that she was another ethnic race) got there just a couple of steps before I did. I was thinking to myself “I’m tired, it’s cold outside, and I really wish I had walked a little faster.” The clerk seemed to know her or at least recognized her because she asked “Weren’t you in here earlier today?” The young woman affirmed that she had been. As the clerk totaled up the two different 2 liter drinks, she asked about how (I didn’t catch a name or relationship) was. The young woman said “After we left here she stopped breathing.” She repeated that after the clerk said “WHAT?” I asked “Is she OK?” She replied “Yes, they sent her home with breathing treatments. She sent me here for these.” With that, she put down a handful of coins on the counter. After counting them, the clerk said “I need a little more.” The customer said “That’s all she gave me.”
I asked how much more did she need, knowing all the time that I only had my debit card on me. Turns out she only needed 3 more cents. I told the clerk to add that to my ticket. She looked at me and said “You want me to give her back this change and you pay for all of it?” By this time, my stubborn self and my insistent self were arguing again, but I let the insistent self win, and I said “Yes, that’s fine.” The young customer turned to me, looking like the weight of the world was on her shoulders, and as her face softened just a bit said “Thank you very much.” With that, she picked up her change and left in a hurry - so fast I didn’t even see or hear the door open and close. The clerk also thanked me, but we both admitted we each had been in very similar spots before.
My drive home was full of joy that I was there when someone needed a little kindness and I was able to provide it. When I got home, I took a look at my receipt and her items totaled $2.80 plus 18 cents tax. My one item was $3.40 plus the 3 cents. Such a small amount to be a blessing to someone before the end of the day. I wonder, what would have happened to that young woman if I had let my stubborn self prevail. I do know I would not have received the blessing of helping her.
I thank God that he kept telling me in my spirit that I needed to go get that milk before heading home and I was obedient to that.
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