I did not want to but I was prevented from going earlier in the week.
My son and I went to our church's outreach at 10 then headed over to Costco.
The parking lot was full so I pulled forward to wait for a car to drive out of their spot so I could back in.
As it happened, another car, who arrived after me, was waiting to drive into that very same spot.
Well, we both started moving at once, I was further in then he was when we both stopped at honked at each other.
The man in the other car jumped out and thundered toward me yelling that it was his spot since I had pulled forward.
I angrily replied that I was there first and I wasn't about to drive into that particular spot.
Well he yelled at me and I shut my window.
I sat in my van for a minute contemplating what to do.
Should I just spite him and continue backing up, or should I just give it to him despite his aggressiveness?
Normally I like to punish people for being mean but I felt very very strongly that I needed to give up the spot. (By the way, I am never right to punish people who aren't my children for being rude. It's up to the Lord.)
I drove out and took a spot a few cars down.
I was pretty shaken by the experience and the man's violent yelling so I called my husband to calm down.
I did my shopping- it took longer then usual since I couldn't focus- and went out to the van.
As I was loading the van the man came up to me and said, 'mam, I'd like to apologize for my actions earlier. It wasn't right and I'm sorry.'
I sort of just stared at him since he had startled me and I was pretty jumpy since being yelled at.
He continued, 'I'm a Jehovah's Witness and that's not the kind of thing I'm supposed to do. Please forgive me,' and held out his hand.
I smiled and said, 'you're absolutely forgiven,' shook his hand, and he left.
I continued to load my van when the Holy Spirit pointed out that I had tracts in the van from the outreach and I should give one to the man.
I took a tract and gave it to him just before he pulled out of his spot.
You know, as I was in Costco, I wondered if that man would ever know that I was a Christian, and now I know that he knows.
Just being able to give him a tract, having had the right testimony (despite responding angrily to him at first) was worth the frustrating trip to Costco on a Saturday.
I may never know what that man does with that tract. Maybe it gets lost in his car and he finds it when he really really needs the Lord and salvation, maybe he got saved on Saturday, maybe he's read the tract, rejected it, and thrown it away. I don't know.
I do know, that the Lord put me in that position to test me. He put me right there to teach me to put my emotions under my command and do the right thing.
It's my prayer that I get to meet that man and his family in heaven. The fact is, everything I bought at Costco on Saturday will eventually be destroyed. That man's soul is eternal, and if my simple act of obedience helps him to heaven, then I have something that will never be destroyed.
I often pray for God to give me good chances to hand out a tract and lead someone to Christ.
Well, He came through, didn't he.
Praise the Lord!
So then neither is he that planteth any
thing, neither he that watereth; but God
that giveth the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:6
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