A clean-cut person passes you in the aisle, turns and comes back the other way and stops and says, say, can I trouble you for a moment? *insert pause for dramatic effect*
Do you believe in God?
Hunh?
You were expecting him to ask if you knew what aisle the chocolate chips or pudding pops were kept.
God in the grocery store? On the lips of an utterly random stranger who's been stalking you in the chip aisle?
You smile and confidently say *ehem* YES! of course! What was all that about painting your team colors on your stomach and cheering if not for THIS very opportunity. Right?
They say, Great, I'm so glad to meet a fellow christian we just moved here from Illinois and I've met nice people but not a whole lot of christians.
You think to yourself, well cool...Yay God!
Wouldn't it be cool if the conversation ended there? But yep, this conversation went on.
We are new to town and are having a bit of bad luck. Can you help a guy out? My wife and I have our car stuck at a service station on the corner. We need $13.00 more in order to pay for the starter and I just don't have the cash. Would you be willing to help?
Do you:
a. Say no, sorry I don't have any cash but let's pray for the situation.
b. Say sure and hand him $12.73 from your pocket
c. Say sure, let me meet you at the service station and help pay for your starter.
Do you second guess the stranger? Is his story legit? Is he merely lying to feed his family waiting out in the beat up chevy in the parking lot? Do you wonder if you've become so jaded with the world taking advantage of a christian "be nice" attitude?
Or do you just ask no questions, realize $10.00 is two cups of mocha latte and is that really that much of a sacrifice?
If you needed money would you ever stoop to asking a stranger for some spare change?
How many times have YOU been stuck at Tires Plus in Cottage Grove on a saturday because THAT's the only place that you could get your car towed to, wondering how in the world you would pay and if they would fix your car and how in the world you would get home. Not that you've had any experience with this *cough* Hypothetically - it's a long walk. In the snow. Uphill. Both ways.
You may start thinking nobly or not so nobly. Of course you could be helping the next Amazing Race winner earn enough money to make it to the next pitstop. You may give someone hope in a cynical world. There may have been secret cameras filming and when you leave the store you may be rewarded.
How many people would just give money without any question? Without asking anything in return?
And finally you think how utterly random would it be to just ask someone if they believed in God without wanting anything in return. And what it would mean if they said no. And how would you respond?
You get in line to pay. The clerk asks, "did you find everything you were looking for?"
You think to yourself, "yep everything AND a huge what would Jesus do quandry in aisle 8".
You quietly pay for your mac and cheese (because seriously they are dillusional if they think you are paying $6.00 for a small container of jicama) get in your car and drive home.
You wonder as you pass the service station on the corner, if the angry wife and husband are really stranded. Do you look?
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