Growing Little by Little....

WARNING! WARNING! I'm going to break the unwritten blog rule of NOT attaching any pics to this post. So, please read on anyways.

The little story I'm about to type is one I shared with our small group the last time we met. It's actually a little bit embarrassing because I feel I should probably be a bit more mature than this -- in a spiritual sense. But, this will be a "confession" of sorts for me.

Ever since I could drive and basically get around on my own, I've had one specific thing that I have virtually ZERO patience for. It happened again just a few weeks ago, but this time, I just had a different attitude.

Where my level of ZERO patience comes in tends to be when I'm in a convenience store, and I get behind another customer who is purchasing lottery tickets. You all know what I'm talking about. I know you do. You're waiting in line to purchase a quick beverage. Somebody buys a lottery ticket, and then, they win maybe $5. Rather than just taking the cash winnings, they must buy MORE lottery tickets. This cycle can sometimes go on quite long. Usually, I can feel my heartrate go up, and I'm sure my blood pressure rises slightly. I almost always have a disgusted look on my face. By the time I finally do get to the counter, I feel like being rude, though I'm not because it really isn't the employee's fault.

What I'm ultimately confessing here is that I really do NOT demonstrate an appropriate Christ-like attitude in that situation.

A couple of weeks ago, I was, once again, in a convenience store, merely trying to purchase a Diet Pepsi. Sure enough -- the person in front of me was purchasing lottery tickets. He won a small amount. Nope. He didn't take the cash winnings. He proceeded on to buy MORE lottery tickets. There was only one cashier working. I felt bad for the cashier as he was doing is best to move quickly as he did see the line forming.

This time, however, for whatever reason (it had to have been the Holy Spirit working inside of me), I didn't get all uptight. I'm not sure my heartrate went up at all. I truly felt sorry for the customer buying the lottery tickets. I felt sorry for him because his HOPE was in the lottery tickets. That's what he was holding on to. The statistics of "winning it big" in the lottery are so low. It's crazy to even try. Also, I personally think it's being a poor steward of the money God has provided to you to even buy them (thanks for listening to my opinion, there).

At that very moment, I was so VERY THANKFUL for the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Easter was a fabulous reminder of that hope. Though I was unable to talk about Christ with this customer at that point in time, a verse in I Peter came to mind.

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. I Peter 3:15b

Someday, I know I'll be asked to an answer for the hope I have. I am fully prepared to do that. Are you prepared?

After that minor, yet amazing, event in my life, I was reading through my daily devotional book. The entry on April 3 was titled, "Little by Little." It talked about how spiritual growth can be compared to physical growth. It slowly happens over time. You don't become a Christian and then suddenly, you're a super Christian. You should always be growing in your walk with the Lord. If you stop growing, something is wrong.

That devotion made me feel so much better. I was so annoyed with myself at my lack of patience for something so simple as somebody buying lottery tickets. Now, I just want to be able to tell somebody of the hope I do have. The hope is not in lottery tickets or anything else on this earth. The hope is above.

Thanks for reading...Until next time.