Livin Lively

By Peggy Lively

I was ready to check out at the grocery store and saw an open lane in front of me, so I got in it. Not shopping at this particular store on a regular basis, I didn’t realize that I had gotten in an express lane (limit 15 items), and I had about 25-30 items in my basket. After I had unloaded half my cart onto the belt, the cashier informed me of my error. Being a “rule follower” myself, I was embarrassed and was genuinely sorry for my mistake. She told me she would “let it go” this one time, and continued to grumble and growl at me the rest of the time I was in her lane. In the midst of this, another shopper had come up behind me with her cart and quickly gave me a look of disgust. So I immediately knew she had noticed my blatant error. I quickly apologized to her as well and said I did not realize this was an express lane. To which she replied, “Well, I was about to call you out on it.” Feeling guilty, I said, “Yeh, she already did,” as I nodded to the cashier. It was so strange to me how this seemingly insignificant mistake was like the unpardonable sin. It made me really think about how I respond to and treat other people—even total strangers.

Now about two weeks later, I was in another grocery store getting ready to check out (in the right lane this time). And as I walked up toward the line, the cashier from the express lane called over to the lady in front of me. She said, “I can help you over here.” The lady (obviously a rule follower) said, “No, I can’t. I have more than 10 items.” The employee responded, “It’s ok, there’s nobody over here. I can help you.” Wow! What a contrast to the other store I had been in. Somebody decided to show grace in the express lane! This employee got it. Her job was not as much about making sure everybody was following the rules as it was about helping people.

This is a principle that Jesus taught and lived as well. One Sabbath day, the Pharisees were watching and waiting to see if Jesus would break their religious law by healing on the Sabbath. Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:11) After declaring this, Jesus healed a man’s shriveled up hand. Jesus came not to make sure that everyone was keeping all the religious laws, but to heal and restore people! Do you know how the Pharisees responded to this miraculous healing? “The Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.” (Matthew 12:14) Sadly, the Pharisees had allowed the law to become more important than the people. As a result, they missed out on the most important Person; they missed out on seeing Jesus for who He really was.

Ponder this today as you respond to those around you. In legalism, do we make others feel guilty and ashamed or do we go out of our way to help and encourage them? Which store do you think I would rather go back to? What kind of church do you think people would feel more welcome in? Be gracious today in the name of Jesus!

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6