The grocery store is one of my least favorite things to do as a mom. It ranks right up there with laundry. Yuck! It’s especially not fun when there is nothing left in the pantry, and you are forced to go on a Monday after work in order to provide a meal for your family. That was me this week.

I picked up Lexi from basketball practice and decided to take her with me to save me the trip home. She was hot, sweaty and tired but never complained about going. In fact, she changed my dreaded trip into pure JOY! After getting our buggy we decided to head to the opposite side of the store to start with the cleaning supplies first. We were walking past the check out aisles when Lexi saw a friend from school. She shouted her name and ran to embrace her. When the girl turned around to see her she lit up and started jumping up and down. They hugged and then the sweet friend kissed Lexi on her cheek over and over with excitement. This was no ordinary friend. She was one of the special needs friends that Lexi sat with at lunch. The mom of this precious girl and I were watching the most beautiful exchange of love and friendship right in the middle of lane 7 at HEB. We were both speechless. I then began to approach her and reached out my hand to meet her. This moment will be one I will never forget.

After saying our goodbyes, Lexi and I continued to push our buggy towards our destination. My eyes swelled up with tears as I looked at Lexi and told her what a pure heart she had and how much I loved that about her. She looked back at me and said, “Mom, she’s the one with the pure heart.” After Lexi shared those words, my eyes were opened to see things the way Lexi saw them. I thought about her precious friend and the way she sees life is very different than the way we see it. I had only met her for a few brief minutes but in that time I could see a little girl with CONTAGIOUS JOY. She didn’t think about going to a grocery store as a dreaded chore but as an adventure. The Lord had given me a new set of eyes that could really see.

Sometimes we think we are seeing things correctly when in reality we aren’t seeing things very clearly at all. Saul experienced God on his way to Damascus as he brought about murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. A light from heaven flashed around him and he fell to the ground as he heard the Lord say, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

He was blind for three days and did not eat or drink. Can you imagine not being able to see? Can you imagine when Saul was given his sight back?

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.  Acts 9:1-19

Saul became Paul, the Apostle, who went on to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ through this conversion experience. It’s easy in our dark world to allow it to bruise us and dim our eyes to the beauty that is around us. I am guilty of allowing it to happen to me just this week before going into the grocery store. I am grateful for my moment when He opened my eyes to see His rich love reaching out through two precious girls. How about you? When was the last time you were able to see like He sees?

Precious Father, thank you for giving us eyes to see. Help us not to take our sight for granted and help us to see your world and your people the way you do. Help us Lord, not to grow cold and calloused from the dark that surrounds us. Keep our hearts soft and teachable so we can be a JOY to others and that they may be able to SEE you through us. If there is something that is keeping us from being able to see, reveal it to us. Just like Paul we want to have an awakening of your truth and love. We love you TOO Father!  Thank you for hearing us when we pray. Amen