One day I was at the Dollar Store. It was early in the morning and I just needed to get a plain white T-shirt for one of the kids school art projects. As I stood in the aisle looking for the right size, a store clerk came over to me and said, The law requires you to wear shoes while shopping in this store. I looked up from the shirts and slowly moved my eyes in her direction to indicate I acknowledged her presence. I looked back down at the shirts, made my selection and headed to the register. I never said a word to her, though in my mind I did enjoy poking fun at her audacity correcting ME and the humor of someone flexing their Dollar Store AuthoritY (say it South Park style). I rarely wore shoes, not even to the grocery store, the mall and definitely not the Dollar Store.
I had no idea this encounter would begin a process that would change my life. Not too long after this incident, maybe a few days, I felt convicted. Let me define what this is according to my own personal experience.
Conviction- When I sense God is showing me areas in my life that are not beneficial to me or Him and then challenging me to come up higher.
God began to show me all of these things in my life, little seemingly meaningless things, like not coming to a full stop at a stop sign, going over the speed limit, not wearing my seatbelt. I quickly reminded him that I had many other much bigger issues than stop signs and footwear, and He might do us both some good and help me work on them before He get his panties in a bunch over footwear! This was my first introduction to the concept Faithful with little, faithful with much. If I couldnt stop at a stop sign, I wouldnt stop myself from compromising in much bigger areas of my life. I realized He was right. (I hate when He does that)
So, I got all serious like andran the stop sign around the corner of my house everyday for four days. Each time, as I made the turn, I would gnash my teeth and whack the steering wheel, as I intended to get it right. Finally, on the fifth day, I stopped!!! I was so excited. I stayed there, behind that stop sign and counted all the way to TEN! Victory was mine!!! I started getting better at following the speed limit and even wore my seatbelt (though it was hard on the just up the street times, but I was making headway).
As you may have guessed, I had to go back to that Dollar Store (with my shoes on) and apologize to the woman I snubbed. I confessed I had treated her poorly and that I lacked character. She accepted my apology and I have worn my shoes to every store I have entered since that day. (Or at least some form of foot covering, I love to sport my slippers now).
This lesson came in handy again as I was being trained in giving. I was a broke single-mom for five years, trying to take care of four young children. Every penny mattered and every cent was accounted for. I was often tempted to not help hurting people, not give to the local shelter, not drive to help a friend because gas was expensive. I knew I wouldnt always be scrounging at the bottom of the barrel to get by, and I thought when I wasnt, THEN I would give. It was during this time, that I was reminded, faithful with little, faithful with much. If I wont give $5, I surely wont give $50 and I am only deceiving myself by believing otherwise. I cannot tell you the rich experiences I would have been robbing myself and my children of if God hadnt taught me faithful in the small.
Funny, that I seemed to have learned all this, only to have to confess these last few months, I often forget to bring change with me to work. I park in a lot with meters. I get out of the car and zip into the office, sort of crossing my fingers/saying a prayer, hoping that I dont come out later to a ticket. The other day, I heard (not with my ears, though I have met people who have this kind of encounter) God reminding me of the faithfulness lessons. I felt He asked me, Would you leave a grocery store with items without paying because nobody was standing at the checkout? Of course I wouldnt!! Then why was I stealing parking time hoping the meter maid didnt notice?
The reason I love this lesson so much is it keeps me accountable to myself and is a great litmus test for choosing friends and churches and places to give to. If someone will lie to their boss about why they arent coming inIf someone will lie to their wife about being on the way when they havent even left yetIf a church wont give when things are tight
If I can bring myself to compromise in even the slightest way, I am a risk factor to myself and all who love me.
Hold me accountable!