Evidently, we have become a people who are having the s#*t scared out of us!
I went to our local BJ’s today, because we needed coffee and I was also going to get some frozen vegetables. I was shocked as I walked into the store, and realized that there were no shopping carts available. I went back outside, thinking they were left in the lot. That’s when I recognized that there were no shopping carts available. I noticed that potential customers were shadowing those who had already paid and were headed to their cars. People stood by some stranger’s car, watching them transfer items from their cart to their car, then quickly grabbing the empty carts.
I decided to walk across the street and rescue an abandoned cart. After retrieving it, I returned to the store. As I headed toward the coffee aisle, I realized that the check-out lines were unbelievably long. One person said she had been in line for 45 minutes already.
Being a man of little patience, I went outside and happily gave my empty cart to another customer. Being overly optimistic, I went to a nearby Walmart. “Much better,” I thought, as I spied rows of empty carts in the parking lot.
On my way into the store, I noticed customer after customer walking out, pushing carts with cases of paper towels! Amused, I went to the back of the store and realized that, while there was no more toilet paper (nor Kleenex), people were going to “Plan B” for when they needed to do “#2”and buying paper towels instead.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me …” (Psalm 23). To those of us from the Judeo-Christian background, what happened to our faith? Why so much fear?
I am all for being prudent, making wise choices, but what about the teachings of our faith?
While priding myself on aspiring to be a man of faith (I’m not as consistent as I’d like to be,” I firmly believe there is value in fear! It is a wonderful opportunity to stop and consider just what it is that is getting stirred up inside us. It is the time for us name and to “cast out our demons.” It is a time to claim the Truth. We have the option of knee-jerk reacting in fear or pausing, and acting rationally in faith.
The 23rd Psalm ends with “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Our faith teaches us that the very worst thing that can happen to us is not death, because on the other side of that is a loving God, waiting to welcome us back home!
So, here is my invitation: for all of us who profess to be people of faith, now is the time to claim it. Now is the time to “walk the talk,” even when we find ourselves walking through the valley of death!
The extent to which you accept my invitation is the extent to which you’ll be able to say, “I feel good about being me!” … and that’s a promise!
