The Meat Manager's Wisdom

Yesterday I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things for the week. I had a lot on my mind and I was praying for insight and for strength as I made my way through the store where I stopped by the meat counter for a few things. My wife and I have shopped here for years and we have become friendly with the manager of the meat department. He is a nice man with a wonderful attitude and he has been so kind to the both of us that we make it a point to stop and see him every time we go shopping.

He always has an encouraging word to share and he always makes you feel special. He could tell that I was having a difficult day so he shared a personal story with me of something that he went through when he was a younger man. The experience that he had gone through had almost broken him and tore him apart for a while. The outcome of the story was that if you can just hold on, things usually work out in the end, and in his case, everything did. He told me to be strong and give it time, things will work out. I thanked him for his kindness and his encouragement and finished my shopping.

There is a scripture that says that a man makes his plans, but the Lord directs his path (Pr. 16:9). Who knew that encouragement and wisdom could be found in the meat department of my local grocery store? I thought I was just going shopping but the Lord had a few other plans for me, He wanted to encourage me and He used this wonderful man to accomplish that. I left there feeling better than when I had first arrived. I was asking for strength and for encouragement, and I got it at the meat department.

I know that life can be complicated and that sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own situation that we can't see the forest through the trees. But every once in a while if we can open our eyes and actually see the people that we meet on a daily basis, look at them, listen to them; I think that we would be surprised at how many opportunities there are for us to be a part of something bigger. When we need answers or solutions to our problems, instead of waiting for the heavens to part and miracles fall from the sky, maybe all we need to do is make a trip to the grocery store. After all, you never know what you'll find.