Opening Day.  By Arlene Hendriks.

It was opening day at the new gas station in the town where I was going to spend a few days with friends. I had left home after finishing my teaching day that Friday, driven the 70 or so miles to the town where my friends lived, and I was looking forward to a three-day weekend of relaxing and fellowshipping with my friends. Glancing at my gas gauge, I decided to stop and check out the new gas station in town.

I reached for my purse, only to find I had left it at home. I had already discovered I’d left my water bottle behind also, as I was quite thirsty by then.

I decided I must be more tired than I thought to be so absent-minded.

Fortunately, I had a $20 bill stashed away in my car for just such emergencies, but I didn’t want to be totally without any cash for the weekend, so I decided to put in $18 worth of gas and save the other $2 for whatever might come up. I put the $20 on deposit, put in $18 worth of gas and went back in to collect my change.

As I approached the door, I saw a sign, “water bottles $1. So I decided to spend one of my last dollars to buy a water bottle. Grabbing one of the bottles inside the door, I stood in line to get my change, grumbling internally about the inefficiency of having to stand in line twice to buy gas at this station. When my turn came, I set the water bottle down and gave my pump number.

“That’ll be $21.67.” replied the clerk.

“How did it get to be $21.67?” I asked, “I put in $18 worth of gas and bought a water bottle for a dollar.”

“That bottle isn’t a dollar,” she replied. “It is $2.50”

“Your sign says they are $1.” I answered.

“The sign isn’t for those bottles. The dollar bottles are over there on the back wall.”

“Well, the sign says $1, and when I walk into the store and see bottles, you need another sign showing where the $1 bottles are.  I’m not going to buy the bottle.

I just need change from the gas.”

“I’ve already rung up the bottle. You have to pay for it.”

“Well ring up a refund. I don’t want the bottle.”

“We don’t give refunds.”

“I’d like to speak to the manager, please.”

“I’m the manager.”

At that point I said, “I left home without my purse, and this is the only money I have for the weekend. I’m not leaving without my change.”

By this time customers had backed up in line behind me, and she could see I was not going to give in, so she angrily got a piece of paper, slammed it down on the counter, demanded my name, address, phone number etc., which I scribbled unintelligibly and handed back to her. She slapped down two dollar bills on the counter, which I picked up and left the store.

Driving away, I was congratulating myself on the progress I was making in not losing my temper, insulting or demeaning the store clerk. I rehearsed how I had stayed calm and pressed my case with persistence, yet respectfully.

I thanked the Lord for helping me to grow in grace.

After spending a delightful time with my friends, I headed for home on Monday. My mind was full of lesson plans for the coming week…

And then I heard my Shepherd’s voice in my ear:

“Did you leave that woman closer to the Kingdom, or further away?”

“What woman?” I asked.

I could almost see Him roll his eyes.

“What woman? C’mon. You know what woman.”

“Oh, that woman.”

And I began to rehearse the grievance of the “bait and switch” tactics businesses use to get customers to buy more expensive items than they advertised. I nursed my anger at having been caught before in those schemes, and cursed the dishonesty which characterizes our society.  Then I defended myself in not having dishonored Him in the way I spoke to the clerk.

He listened to my tirade, and then, once again asked me,

“Did you leave that woman closer to the Kingdom, or further away?”

“Well, what was I supposed to do? Let them cheat me out of the money

I had for the weekend?”

Suddenly I realized what He was getting at. I had added immeasurably to the stress of opening day for that woman over what would have amounted to $.93 change after paying tax on the dollar water bottle.

“Well, it wasn’t the $ 0.93. It was the principle of the thing.” I defended.

“Yes, I understand. But in defending the principle, did you leave her closer to the Kingdom or further away?”

I’m a slow learner, but by now I realized He was going to be more persistent than I in this encounter. And I also realized He was after something in my heart.

I began to feel ashamed, guilty and despairing that I had blown it again.

“I’m never going to get it right.” I grumbled as my heart sank lower and lower, realizing I had made a really big fuss over nothing.

But God…Ah yes, but God…He was not after crushing me. He was after growing me up. So He said to me, “How are you feeling now?”

“Really bad. I thought I was doing well, but I’m not any better than I ever was.

I’m never going to get it right, and I’m too clueless to figure out life.”

“You’re feeling pretty condemned, right?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry I blew it again.”

“My word declares, ‘There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’ If you’re feeling condemned, hopeless and despairing, you’re listening to the wrong voice. I never speak to you to bring anything but Life. Are you willing to let me lead you to true repentance, or will you stay in the pit of remorse?”

I chose repentance.

Then He began to speak to me about the issues at hand.

My thinking was me-centered. I wanted my rights. I didn’t want to be totally without any money for the weekend. I didn’t want to be a victim of yet another “bait and switch” scheme. I wanted fairness.

But God wanted this woman to recognize Him at work in her, and He had appointed me the task of representing Him to her. He knew I would blow it the first time, but He wasn’t finished yet. I still had another chance.

• I could change my thinking about being without money for the weekend by trusting His word where He declared through the apostle Paul, “My God will supply all my needs.”

• I could shift from being a victim of a “bait and switch” scheme, to yielding to His counsel about how to represent Him in this situation.

• And I could shift my thinking from my rights to compassion for the woman entrusted with opening day at a new business located on a very busy intersection.

• I could shift from rehearsing, nursing and cursing, to rehearsing God’s grace, reversing the me-first choices I had made, and blessing the manager and the business she represented to prosper in this town.

In other words, I could represent God accurately and make Him recognizable to those He placed in my path, trusting Him to give me wisdom and grace, and to provide for all my needs.

So I turned around and drove back to the store. When I walked in, a couple of people were in line. I could see the look on her face as I came in. She was not delighted to see me.

I waited until she was finished with the customers, and then she approached me, “What can I do for you?” she asked.

“I wanted to apologize for making a fuss the other night. You were overrun with people, decisions and all it takes to make opening day work, and I added to your stress. You didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry for making your day more stressful. Would you forgive me?”

I could see her relax as she saw she wasn’t going to get reamed again. We exchanged a few more comments and then I was on my way.

But now, I had a fresh revelation of grace – not that God is just trying to get me to knuckle under to anything anyone wants to do to me, but even in the midst of injustice, whether great or small, He is my Lord, and I represent Him.

He’s not far off watching to see if I do it well or not, but abundantly available to help in tight places, teaching me and instructing me in the way I should go.

It’s a wonderful way to live life.