My Love Hate Relationship With Wal-Mart


It is true that Wal-Mart and I have a love hate relationship.  My husband questions why I still frequent their stores, or at very least the one that has irritated me the most.  I’ll admit he may have a point.  However every time I justify the issues away with “the location is convenient” and “there prices really are cheaper”. I realize more and more I’m paying for the convenience with seconds wasted from my life.  Our crazy Wal-Mart stories vary in content:  There was the time the deli worker refused to sell me fried chicken even though the cases were full of it, the time I got yelled at for not speaking Spanish by a cashier, the time the pharmacy gave my daughter the wrong prescription (I still won’t use their pharmacy), There was the time they refused to honor my coupons and semi mocked me in Spanish, or more recently they refused to sell me an ink cartridge when it was open and so I went back into the store and the same one was back on the shelf. 
          
Yesterday my husband and I were waiting in line and I looked at him and laughed, “I think God must know I need to exercise my fruits of the spirit today. Love, Joy, Peace, Goodness, Gentleness, Self-Control and LONG suffering.”  We both laughed, but it’s true. 
            
Let’s face it.  We all go through things were we want to lash out and have a flesh attack.  KevOnStage is an online personality (He can be looked up on YouTube easily, and he has a funny bit about being convinced being able to drive is a fruit of the Spirit when dealing with road rage.
            
There are times all of us, no matter whom we are, have to choose to walk in love versus yelling at the cashier who seems to be going out of their way to take their precious time with someone’s 53 boxes of popcorn.  I think we all get so caught up in a rush that we tend to forget those around us are human too, and how would they want to be treated?  Does getting irritated, taping your foot, and starting to yell show people the love of Christ?

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
            
So let my love hate relationship with Wal-Mart be a reminder to all of your today.  You may be the only Bible those around you may ever read.  Choose to show love even when you think people don’t deserve it.  Exercise those fruits of the spirit in your daily routines of life.  Remember to act like Jesus, because the world and the people you pass by at Wal-Mart are watching.
            
God has awesome plans for your life.  Get excited!


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