At the Checkout

I had an encounter at the checkout today.

I'm sure many of you have experienced it. Someone gets into the self check out line that has way more than 15 items (yeah, you've counted) and you happen to get in line right behind them. I was that annoying person today. While I was waiting in the 40 items or less line, one of the lines opened up for 15 and under (actually two registers were open) and no one in front of me wanted to go. So I push my buggy with something-like-32 items to the register labeled for 15.

As I was checking out and trying to keep eight hands and forty fingers off of the finicky scales (woah, say that 10 times fast), a man with his wife and an older son, came up behind me. The man started bad mouthing me in front of his quiet family, informing me that I had well over 15 items. For whatever reason, he felt compelled to tell me that I shouldn't be in that line. I looked at him and said with a frantic smile as I'm ringing up the Mangos, "Sorry! There was no one in line behind me when I came over here, and the other line was piling up." He kept shaking his head and making it clear that he was annoyed with me and my 32 items. Hoping for a little bit of mercy and understanding I told him, "my husband is gone, and I have four kids here with me", wanting to tell him of my super long day and week I've had. With the continuing shaking of his head he said, "Ruuules are rules" and kept going on and on about me.  In disbelief I said, "Seriously? You want to still give me a hard time?"

I couldn't believe it. At this point, Pace, was pulling on the Naked-drink door conveniently placed by the self checkout.  He's screaming, "I want one! I want one!" after I already told him 'no' and just as my Gooseberry's fall and scatter all over the floor. 

A man one line over said to me with a look of understanding on his face, "I understand. I have three little ones ages one to five that I bring sometimes. It's tough. Have a great day". Before this whole event, he had even offered for me to go in front of his 11 item cart! If I only I knew what was to take place! Ha! But I was thankful for his kind words and him going out of his way to make me feel better which kept me sane. He saw an opportunity to do good and took it.

When I think about the encounter at the checkout, I'm amazed at the two different extremes that those men were. The one extending genuine kindess and heartfelt understanding. And then there was Mr. Grouch. I was actually getting quite bent about it and thinking of all the things I should have said to him like, "do you ever go one mile over the speed limit? Oh you do? Uh oh! Call the Pooolice! Ruuules are rules!" But I think God had something else planned. When we left the store, I asked the kids what they thought about Mr. Grouch. What did they think could've caused him to be not nice? Maybe he was having a really bad day? Maybe he was like that everyday? I felt sorry for him and started praying for him as I was driving home that God would soften his heart.  The comment the man said, "rules are rules" kept coming back to my mind.

This past Friday night I went to a house church and the the following passage from Mark was discussed. You might know it as the story of the 'Rich Young Ruler'.  He followed all the rules (laws/commandments) but there was one thing that he lacked. For the possibly 'pompous', Rich Young Ruler, it was the money (or not wanting to lose control i.e. fear, or lack of commitment, or pride or however you want to connect the dots). What's interesting, is that even though he fell down on his knees in front of Jesus, he just wanted a black and white 'rule'.  It becomes a little more evident when you see that he first called Jesus, "Good teacher" and then later addressed him as "teacher". That was pointed out on Friday by the teacher, Bruce, and wow! It changed how I viewed that passage. I don't even know how this all relates to what happened to me today, but Mr. Rules-are-rules behind me at the checkout had a huge impact on my day (just as much as the man with kind words had). It solidified in me that when life gives me an opportunity to say a kind word to someone, or smile, or have patience, then I should gladly do it. We never know what kind of day (or week) the annoying lady with 32 items and four kids at the checkout has had. Just the same when you encounter a grouch. Who knows what kind of day they've had?

On an even bigger scale, I can follow all the 'rules' or 'laws' until I'm sooo exhausted from trying to be perfect that sometimes I lose sight of the one thing that I might be called to do, or something I'm called to give up. 

I don't want to walk away sad.

 

Mark 10:17-27

New International Version (NIV)

The Rich and the Kingdom of God

17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[a]”

20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is[b] to enter the kingdom of God!25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

(Mark 10: 17-27 is copied and pasted from Biblegateway.com) Bold words by me.