Doing Life at the Dollar General: A Cup of Cold Water and Two Lemons

         Jesus says in Matthew 10:42 that if we give a  little one a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, our reward is secure. ” A cup of water—such a small life gift, but life giving to giver and receiver as well.

        But what if the cup of cold water was just two lemons in the hand of a stranger, awaiting a turn at the checkout counter with a face devoid of joy or peace, a little quiet, and unknown to those around her?

It was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I needed to brighten up the tossed salad for our family gathering the next day. I had already been to the grocery store, but stopping at the Dollar General would just finish the task. It always does. I pulled in and parked. I selected less than a dozen things and made my way to the checkout counter. I try not to use the self-checkout lanes in any store, as there is a tendency to get stuck in line because you didn’t scan things properly. A lady moved from the self-check out toward me. In one hand she held two lemons. She was buying nothing else. I smiled and said, “why don’t you go ahead of me? That is all you have.”

She looked at my meager purchase and replied that I had very little. I smiled and said, “but you have less. You may go ahead of me.”

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Of course. Go right ahead.”  Then she said something that made me smile on the inside. “I can’t get these lemons to ring up and I can’t figure out why. Thank you so much!

 But what about the lemons?

Well, the lemons hadn’t scanned when she was trying to buy them. I reminded her of that. “I wouldn’t worry about it.” Then she crossed in front of me. Once again, she thanked me sincerely. Then, another customer got into the self-checkout lane where she had been unsuccessful and you could hear the familiar electronic beep of an item being rung up as a sale. She looked at me and smiled.

“I needed you today,” she said softly. The clerk rang up her lemons; she paid and was on her way, but not before wishing me a very happy Thanksgiving. I smiled and returned the seasonal words. Which made me wonder. As a Southerner, we do things out of courtesy all the time. Letting people ahead of you with such a small purchase in the checkout lane is something common we do all the time; a common courtesy. It is “southern hospitality.” But she had stated, “I needed you today.” This gesture  made me wonder what on earth was going on in her life that someone had offered her a better place in line, had lifted her spirits and brightened her day enough to bring a smile to her face.

As Christians, we are taught to serve others. As Christians, we are taught to esteem others above ourselves. As Christians, we are to follow Christ’s example of ministering to people in need when the opportunity arises. Who would think that Jesus could be so honored by the purchase of two lemons and allowed to move up in the checkout lane? I did not say His name. My actions were done in His name. I will probably never know this lady’s mindset about buying  lemons and getting the good place in line. But I will remember her. I will remember the two lemons and her lovely smile, made by a change in life’s pace. I had given a cup of cold water in the form of two lemons, which made me thankful to be able to give such a small, but great gift all at one time.