Friends, I had a moment today. I didn’t make a scene, nor was it your
typical meltdown “moment”, but goodness, did it tear me to pieces. Today was a busy day-not bad-just
busy. In busy times I suddenly
turn everything into a mission that I must rush to complete. I scurried out of church to put the
final touches on my planned out Father’s Day lunch and quickly grabbed a cart
to dash toward the produce section of Walmart. (I know, I know. Big mistake going to Walmart on a
Sunday right after church.)
Then
it happened. As I was rummaging
through the salad mix I heard a familiar voice. You know the voice I’m talking about-the voice of a very
sweet little old man that is just as precious as can be, but talks as slow as
molasses and is certainly the last person you want to see at Walmart while
you’re on a “mission”.
Well
this particular sweet little old man lives alone. His beloved wife passed on many years ago, but not before
his daughter with special needs that he loved with all his heart left this
earth at an early age. Yet here I
am trying to figure out the quickest way possible to end our conversation and
carry on with my “important Father’s Day mission”.
Did
I think about the fact that this sweet little old man was at Walmart right
after church to figure out what he was about to have for lunch on Father’s Day? No. Not even a little bit.
Did I consider the fact that this man was and is a Father with no living
daughter to celebrate this special day with?
I’d
love to be able to say that it hit me like a ton of bricks in that moment and I
immediately insisted that he join my parents and I for lunch at my house, but
it didn’t. In fact, the reality of
how I quickly ended the conversation and how hard days like today must be for
him didn’t hit me until I got back to my car.
I
had a moment. A moment of
selfishness. A moment in which I
was too caught up in my own little world to care about those around me. A moment that I can’t take back. A moment that speaks volumes about my
own heart.
Friends,
I hate those moments, but I’m thankful for the teachable moments that
immediately follow suit.
“Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not
looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” ~Philippians 2:3-4
