A WORD FOR TODAY, April 17, 2023
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, April 17, 2023
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving, praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds, that I may reveal it as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” Colossians 4:2-6, WEB
I worked in retail a number of years ago. I moved from being a cashier and floor clerk to the management training program. While I was in the program, I was an assistant manager, learning everything I needed to know from the senior store manager. It was a good program, very informative while also giving me the experience I needed to do my job well leading the people. My mentor taught me to respect all the people on our staff, encouraging them to do their jobs well by being a good example. It was sometimes necessary for management to be every-man, to do any task necessary to keep the store running well. Between my experience as employee to management, I learned habits of retail that lasted well beyond my employment.
I haven’t worked in a store for decades, but it still bothers me to see messy shelves and items out of place. I have moved the wrong size items to the right spot on the rack, straightened shelves, folded clothes, and rehung items that have fallen off hangers. Sometimes this habit of mine makes it seem as though I’m a store employee and people ask for my help. I usually do whatever I can, but I make sure that they know that I do not work there. On a few occasions, I’ve been asked for help even when it was obvious that I was not a store employee. Perhaps I look like I belong in retail. Or maybe I just look like a nice lady willing to help. I know that others have experienced this situation, even to the point of hilarity, because there are websites of stories from people who were caught by someone who was certain they must work in a store. Sometimes the mistake was problematic, but kindness can usually make things right.
Retail employees, especially in the big box stores, have some sort of uniform to make them easily identifiable to the customers. It doesn’t always help when someone decides that you need to help them like when someone sees me doing the work, but those uniforms are meant to set the employees apart from customers. I sometimes wonder if it would be helpful for Christians to wear some sort of badge so that we can identify ourselves to the world, but our Christian life should be recognized not by some mark on our bodies. They should know we are Christians by our love, and by the way we live our lives. People should be able to see Christ shining so that they will know that we can be trusted to help them.
In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he gave them some instructions about how to live. As we journey through life, prayer is the starting point for all we do. God is manifest through our words, prayers, and thanksgiving. God has blessed us with many gifts and opportunities to use them. Yet, if we wander around as if we do not know Him, then none will be drawn by His love. This is why Paul writes of walking in wisdom, seasoning our speech with grace and being prepared to answer when people ask. The questions are not always to find out information. Sometimes people ask to just see if we are willing to listen, to love, to serve and to shine the light of Christ. I suppose that’s why I deal with those mistakes in retail stores with kindness, even if it is inconvenient for me. We are blessed to be a blessing, saved so that we can go out and share the saving grace of Jesus with others. Do people recognize that grace in you?
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org
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