“God will give you everything you need because of His great riches." ~ Philippians 4:19
You can learn a lot sitting in a
parking lot. Yesterday I sat in with my
grandson, reading his favorite Dr. Seuss books, while my daughter finished
grocery shopping. I couldn’t help but
notice two cars that pulled up and parked beside us.
The first, a black Cadillac Escalade, looked straight from
the showroom. Out stepped a woman in a
tailored suit and salon-perfect hairstyle.
She carried an air of privilege - her face poised to command orders;
eyes hidden behind Gucci sunglasses. Her
manicured hand dropped a key fob into a Louis Vuitton handbag as she rushed
cheerlessly into Walmart.
I wondered about her life.
Moments later, a second car pulled up next to us. To call it a clunker would be cruel, but to
call it anything better would border on perjury. It smelled of burning oil; probably only a
few tours left before the car crusher.
Out popped a young Mom with 3 small children under the age
of seven. All were dressed in well-worn
clothes; frayed at the cuffs, a couple of sizes too big, maybe a few seasons
late.
She gathered them together, carrying the youngest while her daughter
gave a piggy-back ride to the smaller girl. They headed to the store laughing and chatting
with each step.
A few stories later, the Cadillac lady emerged, followed by
a store clerk pushing a cart with a large, HD television set. He slid it in the back. She pulled out quickly, eyes still hidden, lips
tight, expression unsociable. Everything
about her seemed unsettled.
A little while later, Mommy appeared with her little ones in
tow with a week’s worth of groceries.
Each had a small ice-cream cone - possibly a reward for good behavior
during their supermarket adventure. Happy memories were unfolding like the pages
of a favorite storybook.
Mom loaded the groceries while the oldest child secured the
younger ones in car seats. The engine barely
sputtered to life. They didn’t seem to
notice – they were too busy pleading for who’s turn it was to pick songs for the ride home. No matter the choice, the car
soon echoed with energy, affection, and pure joy.
As they pulled away, I thought about the two women. It was obvious who had the most money. It wasn’t so clear who had the MOST.
There are many kinds of riches in this life, but the most
valuable of all is Love. The one who
loves the most - learns the most, lives the most, gives the most, and grows the
most. When we meet our Heavenly Father
someday, we’ll carry only with us the love we’ve shared on earth.
May your days be filled with good thoughts, kind people, and
happy moments. Mostly, may it be filled
with an abundance of love for others.
