Ministry In A Grocery Store

Many people tend to think of ministry as happening in a church building.
Others think that ministry happens on the mission field in some far away land.
Few think about the significance of ministry in your own backyard.
Somehow it is not as grand and seen as less important.

Surely individuals are called to foreign missions.
The Gospel need to go forth and needs to be heard to the ends of the earth.
But what about Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria? (Acts 1:8)
They were the backyard locations that needed to hear the Gospel as well.

I understand.
I have a grocery store ministry.
I didn’t set out to have it.
It just happened.

I shop every Thursday at the same food store.
I am one of those “shop the perimeter of the store” persons.
I spend most of my time in the produce section.
I spend most of my time in the organic aisles of the produce section.

Every week I see a very diligent young man working right near where I am standing.
Every week he looks down as he stacks apples and empties boxes of produce.
Every week I would always try to catch his eye to say, Hi, with no success.
He was doggedly focused on what he was doing.

One week, I needed to find a particular kind of apple that I enjoy.
The apples I like were not in their usual place.
Do you have any fuji apples this week? I asked sincerely.
Without saying a word and looking quite annoyed, he walked over and pointed to them.

Definitely not approachable yet hard working was my assessment.
I filed that away.
I held on to that assessment until a few weeks later.
I had been watching him each week and never saw anyone work harder than he did.

I was standing next to him as he lined the apples up so neatly.
I needed to get my fuji apples and he was right where I needed to be.
Excuse me, I said quietly.
I am sorry to get in your way, I remarked preparing myself for his reaction.

I grabbed the apples I needed and put them in a plastic bag.
You know, I watch you each week, I said.
There is no one that works harder than you, I informed him.
It was as if the sun broke through the clouds.

The biggest smile came to his face.
He literally lit up.
Thank you for noticing, he quietly answered.
He went back to stacking apples.

I still see him each week.
Now we are friends.
He knows that he is appreciated.
He knows that someone notices the small things he does.

Ministry in the grocery store.

In that same produce section is another worker.
He is pleasant and talkative.
He smiles easily.
I needed to find organic sweet potatoes one week and I needed his help.

He was so efficient as he quickly looked over the shelves.
I will look in the back for you; be right back, he said as he walked away.
As quick as a flash, he went through the swinging doors.
Just as quick, he returned with organic sweet potatoes in his hand.

How do you cook these? He asked me.
I cook them in all sorts of ways, but this time I am making some soup.
Sweet potato soup? He asked seeming very interested.
I would like to make that so I can have it after church on Sunday.

I will bring you the recipe, I commented.
That would be nice, my sister, he said.
I smiled as I walked away.
He said more than he knew or maybe he did know, and that is why he said it.

I knew that he never expected to get the recipe.
I knew that he has learned that people make empty promises.
Except he knew that I was a “sister.”
A sister in the Lord, and I don’t make empty promises.

I came home and made a copy of the recipe.
I brought it to the store the next day.
He wasn’t working that day.
I placed the recipe in my coupon wallet, with my shopping list and waited.

Next Thursday rolled around and I didn’t see him.
I only saw my other hard working friend who now says hello to me.
I asked someone about my recipe friend.
Oh, he’s in the back, I’ll get him.

The swinging doors opened and my “brother in the Lord” came out.
Hello, sister, he said with a smile.
I have something for you, I said handing him the recipe.
Oh my, my. You remembered. I’m gonna make this soup for my Sunday meal.

I know he did.
I know he enjoyed it.
I know.
God knows.

He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me…And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward. (Matthew 10: 40,42)

Ministry in a grocery store.
Ministry right where you are.
Ministry in the small things.
Ministry that goes unnoticed.

Unnoticed to everyone, except God.

Thank you for noticing.
You remembered.
That noticing and that remembering meant everything.
It made the person feel important as they went about the daily routine of life.

It opened a door for another conversation.
It opened a way to connect.
It is real.
It is genuine.

It happens unexpectedly.
It is often just a small prompting in your spirit.
It is often a small nudge that you can easily ignore.
But don’t, don’t you ever ignore it.

God is doing something.
He is doing something big in something small.
It only takes a second.
The results may very well last all through eternity.

Imagine.
And I thought I was just food shopping.