“I had it all figured out”

I had it all figured out; the title of my 1st  blog was going to be “Let’s Make A  Deal.” I’ve been asking the Holy Spirit to  fill me with knowledge, so I wrote out  every verse from the first week’s lesson  on a legal pad. I prayed about it, and  decided I was going to share the many  times I made a deal with God. But, then,  God called me to use what I’d learned  from Hannah’s example, and put it into  action.  

On that day, I was struck with, what I  would interpret as God driven, a sweet  opportunity for a divine purpose, a way  that God could use me to glorify Him!  Isn’t that what He saw in Hannah? It’s  the everyday Hannah in all of us, how to  use our faith in God for His Glory.  

I was in the grocery line when a woman  that was shaking uncontrollably (I’m  assuming Parkinson’s disease) was in  front of me. She spoke very little; her words were jumbled. I was struck by her  tenacity to shop alone, drive herself and  be independent. The checker asked her  if she needed help with her groceries to  the car and she reluctantly agreed.

After what seemed like an eternity, with no  one in sight, I asked her if I could take  her groceries to the car. I looked at my Fudgesicles and thought, just melt. I  asked her if there was someone at home  to help her and she said no. I offered to  go to her house, with a smile she  humbly declined. 

As we spoke, she showed me the scar  on her shoulder from a recent shoulder  replacement, a result from fainting, in  her weakened and frail body. As random  as this sounds, earlier that day I had met  friends for lunch. My pants were so  tight, I lost feeling from the waist down as we sat and visited. Discretely, in  desperation, I slipped the butter knife into my purse and headed to the lady’s  room. In the stall I began sawing the  waistband, wishing I had a steak knife.  Finally, my pants loose enough now to  pull up, out I went!  

I’m a picture of imperfection! The lady  getting groceries is no different than me.  Her struggles are visible and today mine  were hidden behind a long top. We all  have our flaws.  

The cashier gushed at my willingness to  help, and said that it made her day. It  made mine...if in some way the sweet lady felt loved on by me then Glory to  God. He is behind every kind and loving  gesture for others. I just pray I have a  chance to “pay it forward” every day I’m here.  

By the way, I threw my pants away, I  couldn’t get them in the trash quick enough. Now, go out and show your faith like Hannah by making someone’s  day, flaws and all.  

Laura Crudup

Previous
Previous

But God…

Next
Next

Developing a Strong Group Dynamic