It's cold and rainy, so what would be more natural than to go shopping for needed Easter accessories on a day like today? That's what Mom and I concluded. So we did.
There we were, in the Dillard's dress department. (I know you're thinking Wait, didn't she say they were looking for accessories? Yes, but that's beside the point :) While waiting for Mom to try a dress on, I was browsing, when a friendly African-American sales lady came and asked the usual "Can I help you find anything?" I wasn't looking for anything in particular so I replied "No thank you."
"Well if there is anything you need just let me know." she said, then added, "but only for the next fifteen minutes- then I'm outta here!" We both laughed.
"Do you have plans for this weekend?" I asked, thinking conversation would be more interesting than clothing. I was not disappointed! She quickly went into a discourse on her new exercise machine- she had the manual there, and was still learning how to use it, and had already lost inches and pounds on her new diet! Wow! Go her!
After catching her breath, she said "So, what about you? Are you going to school? What are you studying?" I dread these kinds of questions, mostly because I have no concise answer that "works" for everyone.
"I'm not going to school right now. Just didn't want to waste the money on a degree I have no use for." This usually works... most of the time.
"Well what do you do with yourself, then?" she inquired.
::mind goes blank:: "I... read my Bible a lot." That's a silly answer, Courtney! Who disconnected the brain-to-mouth wires?! I soliloquized.
"and I'm starting to learn Hebrew, so that I can study the Bible better, since that's the original language it was written in." ... again where did that come from? It's true, though, I am.
"and I teach Sunday School, and an after school Bible club..." Courtney! Why aren't you saying any of the NORMAL things you do??? For some reason things like cleaning, gardening and sewing would not come to my mind at the moment.
"Well that's great!" said the sales lady, "You know you could go to seminary and take that 'theology' stuff! My niece just graduated with her masters in Theology, so she's gonna be a minister. We're real proud of her."
Not wanting to get into my Biblical conviction of women "learning in submission" instead of holding positions of authority in the Church, I moved on.
"Yeah... that's great." change subject, change subject- quickly!
She made it easy and did it for me, "You know that's just great what you're doin' though. You just do the next person some good and you'll pay God back, that's what I say."
Red flags went up in my brain! "Oh, there's nothing good I can do by myself!" I said, "It's only Christ in me that can do any good."
Right at that moment, a sweet older lady came up. "That's right!" she agreed with me- praise the Lord!
"The Bible says that no one can be good enough." I continued, "and since no one is good, God can't just let everyone into heaven."
"Uh-huh!" -my new friend affirmed, "Only through grace!"
The sales lady retaliated, "Well, I just say if you do the next person some good, then you pay God back."
"We don't do good to pay God back, though..." I searched for the right words, "We do good because we are grateful and love Him for what He's done for us! You know what He did, right? He sent His Son, Jesus, who was God, who died on the cross and rose again, to take our punishment, so that if we believe in Him- in what He has done- He will take us to heaven!" How can you not smile when sharing such good news, right!? :)
By this time, Mom had finished and was ready to go, the sweet older lady was done checking out, and another lady walked by saying "That girl's a witness!"
"Ok, then- you should go to seminary!" the sales lady went back to her first conclusion.
"You don't need to go to school for this- just read your Bible!" I smiled.
She smiled back and said, "I like you- you're friendly! I'll see you when you come back, all right?"
"I hope to see you in heaven!" was my reply- and I really do!
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