Finding Jesus at Walmart

I am not a shopper.  And that is a huge understatement.  There is a strong, dominant shopping gene on my mother's side of the family.  My mother clearly has it.  She successfully passed it down to my two sisters.  It missed me.  I take after my dad's side of the family.  On the few occasions that I remember my dad coming with us to shop, he took along one of his science fiction books, found a chair somewhere, and contently read while we went from store to store.  At least I managed to pass along the shopping gene to both of my daughters -- but now they're stuck with a mom who would rather go just about anywhere other than a mall -- unless it has a movie theater -- then it's a completely different story.


Suffice it to say, I did not go shopping on Black Friday.  I did purchase a few things on Cyber Monday.  My younger sister went shopping on Black Friday.  She lives for that day.  She owns that day.  She gets deals on that day that other people only dream about.  I would stack her up against any other Black Friday shopper.  She would win.  Hands down.


Not me.  I get anxiety attacks when I think of shopping on Black Friday.  And honestly, from now until Christmas it's a bit too rough out there for me.  But we still need stuff, even during the holidays, so I must shop.

This afternoon I ventured to Walmart.  It was busy, which I expected on the first Saturday in December.  But there was something else I noticed that troubled me much more.  No one seemed happy.  No one was smiling.  Except for a few children who were laughing and talking a mile a minute, most people were looking down, or away -- avoiding eye contact with strangers.  They seemed as if the weight of the world was on their shoulders.  Even the Salvation Army bell ringer didn't appear to be having any fun.  So much for this season of "love and good cheer."

It wasn't until I reached the checkout counter that I realized I hadn't done a thing to help change the situation.  I hadn't done a thing to help spread "love and good cheer" myself.  I could have looked people in the eye and smiled.  I could have said "hello" as I walked the aisles.  But the truth is, I was tired and stressed and wanted to get home myself.  I walked by dozens of other human beings, each with their own concerns and needs, each with their own families and responsibilities, each created in God's image and loved by Jesus.  But I stayed in my own "world" instead of venturing out into theirs, if only for a moment, if only to say "hello."


It wasn't until the checkout counter that I realized my responsibility -- and privilege --  to love others, even as I'm shopping at Walmart.  I looked up and saw a fellow human being, working as a checker at Walmart. We not only exchanged the necessary polite phrases, but we engaged in a meaningful conversation.   He told me about his six year-old daughter who had to endure several brain surgeries because of a rare congenital disease.  Thankfully, she is doing better.  He said he loves his job at Walmart because he gets to help people.  He seemed like a wonderful man.  We didn't talk about Jesus -- neither of us shared our faith journeys -- but I know Jesus was Present.

There are sacred moments waiting to happen all around us, maybe even especially at places like Walmart, or the grocery store, or the doctor's office, or the post office.  Jesus is HERE, and He wants US to make Him known.

Let's dare to have some genuine conversations with others, even complete "strangers," this season.  Let's dare to really look at other people -- look into their hearts and lives with the love of Jesus.

We have the ability to share with others the very thing they need the most -- real, genuine love -- unconditional love -- the love of Jesus Christ.  This is our sacred calling as followers of Jesus.  It's always our job.  But maybe, during this season of "love and good cheer," it is needed even more.  Maybe during this time of "giving," people are actually more desperate for gifts with true meaning --conversations with others who show them genuine concern and care -- genuine interest in who they really are on the inside.



And then, we might just have the chance to share with them the best news of all -- the greatest gift we've ever received -- the inexpressible gift of God's love, Who came in the form of a baby, born in Bethlehem, Judea.  Born to be our Light and our Salvation.  Born to be our King and our Friend.  And how this Savior, this Baby, has changed our personal world, turned it upside down, given us hope and joy and love and meaning.  Just maybe we could have this conversation in the middle of a Walmart, or a KMart, or ToysRUs.  Maybe we can find Jesus all over the place this Christmas season.