S6 E3 - 40 Cart Kroger Line

As we prepare for an incredible winter storm of historic measure, I have been to the store a few times to prep. Well, so has everyone else. It's been slammed, and yet people have been kind, sharing, and helpful as this little community has banded together to help each other endure a harsh weekend. 

Preparation is not panic, in fact it's expected by God with many things. But so also is sharing and generosity, it's why God gives us the things that he does in the first place. But we also must remember, no amount of preparation will sustain were it not also for the grace of God. We must give him glory and praise the one in whom we live and move and have our being. 

#SetYourMindAbovePodcast

Transcript

What if I told you that God could be seen in the most ordinary things every day? 

What if I told you that every day, ordinary events could teach us extraordinary eternal truths? Would you believe me? 

Welcome back to season 6 of the Set Your Mind Above Podcast! My name is BJ Sipe, and I am a Christian, a preacher, a husband, and a father. In our next few moments together, we hope to learn some of the most important lessons from some of the simplest things in life. Thank you for taking this journey with me. 

If you have so much as turned on the news or any meteorologist over the past few days, you are well aware of the winter storm of historic proportions that the better portion of the Midwest and East Coast are about to endure. Some are calling it “Snowmageddon” – which is exactly what we’re looking at around here in Danville, KY. Estimates are simply that – estimates. However, some are saying we could have as much as 15-20 inches of snow over the course of Saturday and Sunday. That is quite the winter dump! In parts further south of us, they unfortunately are not forecasted to get the beautiful snow, but a very dangerous amount of freezing rain. That means downed trees, downed power lines, and no power for millions across the United States. So what does one do in situations like this? They prepare to hibernate. 
 
We’re curious creatures here in the United States, because apparently all we think that we need to survive is bread, milk, and eggs. Why would I say that? Because those are the very first things to go from the stores as hordes of people rush to their local grocery to stock up and all the supplies they might need in case of being snowed in, iced in, and without power. I happened to run by Walmart even this evening for a couple of odds and ends that we needed, and the milk, eggs, and bread aisles were completely bare. It wasn’t as much of a madhouse as I had expected, but the same could not be said for my Kroger trip late Thursday night. I had a study at Chick-Fil-A right across the street from the Kroger that evening, so I popped over afterwards to stock up on the things that we personally needed to wait out a winter storm. I knew I was in trouble when I pulled into the parking lot at nearly 8 pm and almost every parking space was full. I walked into Kroger and had immediate flash backs to Black Friday shopping in the late 90’s or early 2000’s – it was an absolute zoo! 

I got one of the last carts and started working through our list of things that we needed just as the rest of my fellow shoppers were doing. As I made my way up and down the aisle, weaving through a sea of faces, there were several things that grabbed my attention. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the overall spirit of the other shoppers: they were not grumpy, irritable, or shoving their way around in a panic. Instead, everyone was busy chatting with one another in each and every aisle about the upcoming storm and helping one another find what they needed. People were guiding others to where they found certain items. I witnessed one shopper take something out of his cart and give it to another because he had several and had grabbed the last of that item. As for myself, I had a kind stranger stop and hold my cart so I could stand up in it to reach a product on the very top shelf that was far beyond my normal 5’10’’ reach. But then came the checkout line…which started at the registers and extended all the way back to the dairy and ice cream section of the store. I kid you not, the line was over 40 carts long. Surely such a long line would bring out the worst in others…right? Nope. Those with just a few items were being welcomed to cut in line by all who had fuller carts so that they didn’t have to wait for 30 minutes to check out. People laughed, visited, and took pictures of the epically long queue. I thought I was going to be stressed dealing with panicked and rude shoppers, but I had quite the opposite experience. I left feeling encouraged, almost with a sense of comradery as this little community was banding together to help each other through what looks to be one of the most severe winter storms on record.

I think our bread, milk and eggs tendencies sometimes give preparation before a storm a little bit of a bad rap. There is a big difference between panic and preparation, and ensuring that you are well stocked or prepared for something in life is not an overreaction – in fact, the Scripture calls it wisdom. Consider the text of Proverbs 22:33 together, which reads, “A sensible person sees danger and takes cover, but the inexperienced keep going and are punished.” In other words, wisdom does not simply throw caution to the wind, but it prepares and takes action before danger or storm ever arises. It is those who refuse to prepare and take action that will ultimately suffer for it. Now, the Proverbs are establishing a principle that goes far beyond bread, milk, and eggs. I want us to stop and consider some of the things that we would do well to prepare for before they ever happen. Think about how many people rush into marriage or having a child. They think to themselves they’ll simply learn as they go, and they do little to no preparation for understanding the challenges that come with even these wonderful and godly things. Those that don’t prepare are often setting themselves up for failure, as they rush headlong into things they are not ready for. There are many other things we must use wisdom to prepare for in this life as well.  Here the proverb writer mentions danger and avoiding it. 2 Corinthians 2:11 speaks of, “not being taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.” Those that do not take temptation and the schemes of the devil seriously will fall headlong into destruction, but those who don the armor of God and prepare for spiritual warfare ahead of time will be delivered. Preparation is an act of wisdom, and act of faith, and something that we certainly must do in a great number of areas in our lives as Christians. 

My time spent in Kroger witnessing the other members of my small community caring for one another and demonstrating great kindness even in their own preparation reminded me of another truth as well: that love shares. We read in Proverbs 3:27-28, “When it is in your power, don’t withhold good from the one to whom it belongs. Don’t say to your neighbor, “Go away! Come back later. I’ll give it tomorrow”—when it is there with you.” In other words, true love understands that God has blessed us with the things that he has not for us to horde and store up for ourselves alone, but to share with those who have need. I am reminded of a saying that we had written upon a sign in our kitchen for some years that read, “When God gives you more than you need, do not build a taller fence, build a longer table.” I have always loved that sentiment, because it is highlighting one of the most important spiritual truths: love seeks the good of your neighbor. This is why pulling from the text of Leviticus 19 Jesus would teach us what the second greatest commandment next to loving God is – to love your neighbor as yourself. Christians should be the foremost examples of sharing with those in need, and it is what led Paul to write things like, “Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another.” (Rom. 12:13-16)Brothers and sisters, when we stop to consider all that God has shared and given to us through Christ Jesus – the only proper response to such love is to turn and give that same exact love to others. 

Finally, my friends, as we prepare for the different things of this life and learn to seek the good of our neighbor in the process, we must never forget one thing above all: to pray. We see in Proverbs 16:2-3, “All a person’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs motives. Commit your activities to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” No amount of preparation or forethought will ensure our footing in this life when it comes to marriage, temptation, our work, or any area for that matter if our feet are not firmly planted on the Rock, who is Christ. We must remember that it is the Lord who sustains us, guides us, and protects us through the storms, challenges, and difficulties of this life. Certainly, he expects us to do our part in preparation, but it is by his grace that we are delivered and he sustains us. We must go to him prayerfully as we prep. We must ask him to strengthen us so that we can withstand the days ahead, knowing that it is from him alone that we live and move and have our being.
 
 Let us conclude with the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 127:1-3, which reminds us of the security one has when they place their faith and their trust in the Lord above themselves. “Unless the LORD builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain; unless the LORD watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain. In vain you get up early and stay up late, working hard to have enough food— yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves.”

This has been season 6 episode 3 of the Set Your Mind Above Podcast – and I’m so thankful that we had this time to grow together! A new episode is dropped each Friday of the week. If you’re able to, go ahead and like and subscribe to the podcast, give us a good rating, and tune in next week. Even more important, share the spiritual truths that we learned today with someone else. And more than anything my friends, always remember the following: know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.