First of all, my family's usual Sunday ritual after church is to do our weekly grocery shopping at an internationally known chain grocery/clothing/outdoor supplies/electronics/etc. store. Yeah, you probably know the place I'm talking about. This company is not known for being union friendly, and I suppose there are good arguments on both sides of the issue. This company is also known for not treating its workers the best. Since this company is so big, it can afford to sell things cheaper which sometimes puts local establishments out of business. At will, this company will also suddenly pull out of a town and/or move to a new location. Customer service in this company has declined severely over the past few years, but yet people flock there because of the prices.
In this company's defense, it does provide job opportunities for many people who have trouble finding employment elsewhere. The employment conditions and the pay may not be great, but it is employment. It is a chance to earn a living, however meager that living is. It does provide goods and services at prices that other businesses simply cannot offer them. But, they are at prices that most customers can afford. It is a "one stop shop."
As we were checking out from this store, and we were unloading our cart, I was looking at the items we were buying. There was nothing extravagant...normal groceries. We also had a few things, however, that were for around the house such as birdseed, weed killer, and even some out of the ordinary fruits and vegetables (just to see what they tasted like). All in all, this was not an expensive shopping trip, but we did not stick to "needs." We also got our share of "wants." Inherently, that is neither good nor bad.
While we were checking out, I noticed our cashier. While looks can be deceiving, and I could be stereotyping, in this case I doubt I am. She was a young woman, probably mid-twenty's to early-thirties. She did not seem happy to be there. OK, most of the time, people are not "happy" at work, but she seemed to be just putting in the hours. She didn't speak to me except to tell me how much the total was. There was a look of defeat or depression on her face as if the world weighed her down. Granted, she could have just had a bad day, been tired, been sick, or some other temporary ailment, but if my snap judgment was correct, this young lady was most likely working the only job she know how to work, working the only hours she could get, and living on the pay she received from this job (which I'd assume was relatively low). For some reason, I felt ashamed as she rung up my birdseed and weed killer and exotic fruit. I wondered if she gets to enjoy watching the birds where she lives. Does she get to chase the cats away so they don't kill her birds? Does she get to kill the weeds in her yard? Does she even get to plant flowers?
What I had wasn't bad, but I felt bad for her. And if I was wrong in my judgment, I feel bad for the people who can't have these things. The people who struggle just to keep a roof over their heads. This is not to say that there should be class warfare...I'm not saying all rich people are greedy. I'm also not saying that some poor people didn't make bad and sinful choices to put themselves in that position. I am saying that I was personally humbled. At that moment, I thanked God for what I have. I'm not rich. I'm not poor. I have what I need, and some of what I want. I thanked God that this lady had a job. I prayed that this was but a stepping stone for her. I prayed that one day she too could watch the birds in her own yard where she killed the weeds.
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The next day, I was out killing the weeds. I live across the street from my church. Most people from this tiny little town know that this is the parsonage for the church. They know that the pastor lives here. Many people in town know who I am. I can hardly go anywhere without someone yelling, "Hey Preacher!" I rarely know who they are (unless they go to my church), but they know me. That's how it is being a pastor in a small town.
Just as I was finishing and getting ready to go inside, a car started slowly driving down my driveway. At first, I thought it was a church member. It was bright out, and my eyes aren't the best, and I couldn't see through the windows due to the reflection of the sun. When they got closer to me, I realized I didn't know these people, and I assumed they were going to ask me for directions. (NOTE: Do not, under any circumstances, EVER, ask me for directions. I have no sense of direction! I will get you lost! It will not be intentional, but you will be more lost than you already are).
Finally, the car stopped and a lady got out of the car. Then I realized what this was. She was holding the signature tract of a Christian denomination that some people consider a "cult," that is famous for going door to door as an evangelistic technique, and they hold non-mainline theological beliefs. I wondered how I should handle this. I almost introduced myself as the Pastor, but I didn't. The woman came up and started with some small talk. She was very friendly. She gave a very brief pitch about being happy and about an upcoming presentation on how to become happy. She then handed me her tract and told me to have a nice rest of the day. Since she was so pleasant, rather than getting angry, my feelings immediately changed towards her and her denomination (at least for the time being). I told her as she was going to her car that she could pull down and turn around so she didn't have to back out into the road, and as she did, I realized there were 3 other women with her, and all 4 ladies were of a different race.
If you are from my church and you are reading this, please know I'm NOT complaining about us! We have so much to be thankful for! We are a VERY inclusive congregation. While we are mostly racially the same, when we do get visitors of other races, I have never seen anyone treated any differently. But, I wonder why mainline churches as a whole are segregated? Do we worship different Gods? No! It's the same God! I think each race would say we would be fine if someone from the other race came to the other church. But, why are we mainly segregated? OK, some is traditional worship style. But some is because "that's the way we've always done it."
Also, why can this denomination go visit strangers, and they know that many will be hostile to their visit, but most mainline denominations can't even talk to friends about God? Why can they let their beliefs rule their lives but most of us say our religion is private? How can our religion be private? Was God private? Was Jesus private? Did the Holy Spirit come in private?
I was humbled by this simple friendly lady who took the time to drive down my driveway to hand me a tract and invite me to a presentation (most likely knowing I have no intention of going). While I'm not sure how to handle her beliefs in the same God we worship, I can take comfort in the fact that God can handle it. And since it seems we're both on the same team, we both see Christ as Lord and Savior, God can take care of the details of the contract.
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