I recently went grocery shopping at my normal store. I go to the same store at about the same time every week. I’ve gotten to know the check-out ladies and the men who bag and carry out the groceries. I like that feeling of community. However because of this familiarity I know one of the bag men is kind of grumpy. So today I saw that one of my favorite check-out ladies, Janine, was available so I went to her aisle but then I saw the grumpy bag man. He’s older, probably in his 70’s. I was not thrilled but since he’s not overtly mean I just went ahead.

After I paid he started pushing the cart and I was leading him to our car. As we are getting ready to walk across the parking lot, I see Micah and the cart just kind of free rolling into the road. I grab the cart. I’m wondering of course what has happened. For the first time ever, I see the grumpy man smiling. He says “I got it!” and then stands up and starts pushing the cart again.

Now, what he was reaching over to pick up? One nickel. Seriously. He let the cart roll away for a nickel. He did not care about anything at that moment but picking up a stray nickel. I was stunned that a nickel was more important to him than the well being of my child and doing his job properly. Let’s just say he will not be getting a pat on the back for the job he did today.

Yes, what he did was odd but it revealed what was important in his life at that moment was a nickel. While this played out very obviously today it made me think of the times I let go of what is really important for those things that are insignificant. Yes there is value in a nickel, but the amount of groceries he was responsible for was worth way more than that, not to mention the priceless life of my child.

Matthew 6:19-21
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also

I am quick to judge this man because he did not share a love for what I valued. However often I am guilty of the same thing. I want my treasure to be in heaven but so often I drop what needs to be cherished for something trivial. This speaks volumes about my heart. Anything that makes us break the greatest commandments of loving God and loving people is moving our hearts away from where it should be.

My judgment of the bag-man quickly turned to judgment of myself. There are areas where I know I’m leaving what is truly important for the insignificant.

So, while I might be avoiding this particular bag-man in the future, I am thankful that the Lord used that instance to teach me a lesson about myself. I need to avoid the nickels along my path and treasure the truly meaningful.

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