So…
What do the Fruit of the Spirit and standing in the customer service line at Walmart two days after Christmas have in common?
Picture this…
New England — 10 degrees in the sun — Walmart — customer service returns — 50 people in line — right next to the restrooms.
My phone rang this morning with a challenge from one of my favorite people on the planet, “Write a 3-5 minute read on standing in line at WM two days after Christmas.”
Challenge taken.
My mind immediately went to the list: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. You know the one. Fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5.22-23
Love. Remember you love Jesus. You love the person giving you the gift you are now returning. You love every single person in line in front of you. You love Christmas and the Advent of our Savior. REMEMBER.
Joy. Remember the joy the holidays have brought you. The joy of waking up at 5 a.m. and the thermometer reads 99 zillion below 0° but the coffee is hot. REMEMBER.
Peace. Remember the peace you have in your heart and remember that most likely 7 out of every 10 people in that line don’t have any. Show them Jesus. REMEMBER.
Patience. Remember to be long-suffering when people begin pushing, cutting in line, being rude, crude, and unattractive. Be patient, you used to be them. REMEMBER.
Kindness. Yes, that lady dragging the screaming kid, who just cut in front of you rushing to the restroom? She needs someone to be kind to her today. REMEMBER.
Gentleness. Be glad your toes are frozen because you cannot feel the umteenth person with size 12’s stepping on those tender piggies. REMEMBER.
Self-control. Okay, so you can’t return the “who would want this” gift for cash – be happy, take the gift card and wait for summer. REMEMBER.
Fruit and Lines…
There’s gospel here.
xo
Oh this is so good! REMEMBER! He has given us His fruit, it’s right there for the taking if we can just remember! Hope you’re staying warm!
Bettie, all is well here! You are the one to keep warm way up there is frigid country!!! xo
Sestra you did it again! Great…
WOW thank you.
LOVE this!!!
Thanks Shelby.
Great reminders! Love the way you shared the fruits of the Spirit. : )
Thanks Cathy.
🙂
I KNEW you’d like this!!!
I love this, Susan! A good reminder as I head out to the store today (and here they celebrate New Year’s big since they don’t do Christmas in the MidEast). It’ll be a madhouse, but I will try to remember.
Oh dear, Betsy I do hope you “remembered.”