today I learned a valuable lesson. one which I hope will stay with me the next time I'm in the same position.
Rob, Pipa and I went to Garden City to buy some camp necessities for Pipa and some more vitamins for me. The Chemist next door to KMart was having a sale and as my supply was getting low, I thought it prudent to purchase them today.
After walking all over KMart, my toe and leg were really sore and I was glad to finish off our shopping at the Chemist. The sales lady was very helpful and whilst I couldn't buy the pills in the same brand to benefit from the 50% off discount, but I had stronger pills that will hopefully keep some of my health problems under better control.
We waited in the queue at the checkout and another till opened up to help move the customers through. The till operator called to me amd asked me to come over to her. I asked the lady in front of me if she would like to go ahead of me and she declined, happy to wait where she was. So I limped over to the next checkout and this older lady ran in front of me and pushed her trolley up to the counter.
The saleslady told her that I was in line before her and she would be serving me next. Well!
"I was here first!" she complained. I said "I'm going as fast as I can." Rob said "let her have it", but she was already moving to the other queue, grumbling away.
She glared at me the whole time I was being served, not once taking her eyes off me. I stared back. I wasn't going to be intimidated by this rude old biddy!
You could feel the temperature drop to near freezing in the store, and I felt dreadful. All the way home, I was thinking about the incident and how it left a sour taste in my mouth even though I felt I was the one wronged.
As I hung out more washing when we reached home, I was talking to God about it and suddenly I felt convicted. Christ would never have behaved like I did.
All I had to do was let her go through and give her a smile. Simple. And yet, it didn't even occur to me to be gracious. That's what got me. I wanted what was rightfully mine, no matter what.
I prayed for forgiveness and that I will not forget today's lesson the next time I run into someone who rubs me the wrong way.
I'm sure I will have ample opportunities in the future.
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