I went to my favorite little grocery store this
afternoon and as I walked up and down the aisles I frequently passed an elderly
man shopping as well. He looked pretty rough and smelled as though he had been
working hard out in the heat but he was intently shopping up and down the
aisles. On one particular aisle, I noticed his lost look as he glanced through
the spices and that's when I heard him say,
"Ma'am, can I ask you a question?"
I politely turned to him and said,
"Absolutely!"
He proceeded to ask me about what kind of spices he
needed to fix something in his crock-pot. He couldn't even think of what it was
but after listening to him describe it; I concluded that he was wanting to cook
a roast. We chatted about cooking pot roasts and I showed him some things I use
for mine. He began sharing a bit of his story with me of being recently
divorced and now alone trying to figure out how to fix all the good foods he
loves. He was a sweet soul and I was blessed to share a few minutes in
conversation with him.
It reminded me that we can be so busy in our own
worlds that we forget about those hurting all around us. People we pass in the
grocery store, see at the coffee shops or doctors offices, those who pump gas
beside us at the gas stations, well, they all have a story. Sometimes just a
smile and a kind word is all it takes to make someone's day. Sometimes it may
take a few minutes of our time to stop and let a person know that they are
important by engaging in conversation. I am thankful for that reminder today.
In a world that is turning darker by the minute, I was
blessed to share a few minutes of "Light" with an elderly gentleman
on the spice aisle of my little grocery store. There is nothing sweeter than
talking about my Jesus and sharing the hope that only He can offer. I left the
store today with a heart overflowing in praise to God for His divine
appointments. He is so good!
"Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing
to the bones."
Proverbs 16:24 (NIV)
