I’ve been trying to be better about using coupons lately, so after Bible study this morning I ran up to the store to pick up a few items that were on sale. I had one coupon in particular that was good for a free item, up to $5.99. Of course, I was going to use as much of that $5.99 as possible, so I looked for the item in the size that would be closest to that price. I found one for $6.39, and it had a $1.00 off sticker on it as well. I figured that with the two coupons together the item would actually be free.I went to a check out line that actually had a cashier running it because I’m still not a fan of do-it-yourself lanes, plus I was using a rain check and had no idea how to make that work. Something seemed wrong when I was checking out, but I really didn’t process it until I was in the van. I studied my receipt and saw that the $5.99 coupon actually rang up as $6.39, and the $1.00 coupon came off as well.
I’m not making any moral judgments about coupons here, but I was really bothered by the fact that I’d received an extra dollar. Then I was bothered that I was bothered. Why was I so bothered by a dollar?
There I was, sitting in my van having a conversation with myself (in my head, not out loud – I’m not that far gone) saying:
- It’s only a dollar.
- They put the coupon on the box.
- They rang the other coupon up wrong.
- I didn’t even bring up my pop cans that the machine refused because I’m tired and I just want to go home.
- I’ll look stupid if I go in and try to explain this.
The Holy Spirit only had to say one thing to me, “Is disobedience worth a dollar?” At this point I had to ask myself, “Would I even be going through this thought process if He wasn’t telling me to go back inside?” Of course not.
Scripture says, “Be holy, because I am holy,” three times. (Leviticus 11:44, 45, 1 Peter 1:16)
God demands obedience. In the scheme of all eternity, one dollar really doesn’t matter, but disobedience does. I turned my van off, grabbed my receipt and my two rejected pop cans, and went back into the store. Why? Because obedience matters.
Holy Spirit, thank you allowing me to hear your voice. Forgive me for trying to rationalize something when what I really need to do is be obedient. Thank you for moving me back into that store and letting me keep the dollar anyway. I don’t know why I had to go back in, but I know You have Your reasons. That’s a good enough for me! Help me to be quicker to obey the next time and be who You’ve called me to be. Love, Lisa
