I was standing in line the other day at the grocery store and noticed every lane was actually open, even the self-check-out lanes. That alone was a sign of “End Times.”

 

It was at the end of the work day and my first thought was, “Wow, don’t ever come to the grocery store on a Tuesday evening after work, too busy.”

 

I started noticing the looks on everyone’s faces. Solemn. Sad. Discouraged. Angry. Annoyed. Could care less. Unhappy. Not just the people working there but the people standing in line as well.

 

Everyone looked completely miserable.

 

I took note of one lady two carts up from me who was staring at the man in line between us who was oblivious to her stare. She was looking at him, up and down, over her coke-bottle glasses, like he was an alien, as he flipped through the various magazines on the shelf. I wondered why.

 

I think it may have been that he was standing too close to her unzipped purse she had sitting in the seat of the cart/buggy/basket. *Side note, I have no idea what these things are called any more. Being from Michigan and living in Tennessee an equal amount of time now, my language is very mixed.

 

I continued to look around at people and how they all just stood there, staring at one another, not wanting to invade each other’s space. Keeping enough distance from one another so they couldn’t smell one another. Taking turns looking at one another because they didn’t want to be caught looking at one another.

 

I laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of it all.

 

Then they were all staring at me.

 

Eyes down, don’t make eye contact. Pretend everything is normal.

 

All I could do is lower my chuckle and shake my head. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. I wanted to shout at all of them. If I had a straight shot to the door that I could run once I shouted, I probably would have.

 

Don’t you realize we are all the same?! Don’t you realize we come from the same breath of life?! Don’t you realize we need each other?! Don’t you realize we are all brothers and sisters?! Why are you so miserable?! Why don’t you have joy?!

 

I was the only one out of probably fifty people who had a smile on their face. That made me sad.

 

I knew in that moment the Holy Spirit was ministering to me. He made me take note of how rigid people have become. We don’t talk to one another. We don’t even smile at one another anymore.

 

It has to change. There has to be communication between people or we will keep spiraling down the technological drain of ignorance.

 

I heard the Holy Spirit tell me this is part of our ministry. The ministry and message my husband and I have in our hearts to share with people. We have to help people find their joy again. We have to show them there is more to life than those 5 o’clock frowns.

 

I compared the view I had at that very moment, standing in line at the store, to the view I would have in heaven. I can’t imagine that we will all just be standing around staring awkwardly at one another. Pretty sure it will be the complete opposite.

 

We all spend too much time being scared of one another. We spend too much time wrapped up in ourselves. We spend too much time staring at our phones, gossiping about people we don’t know, focused on everything else but our surroundings.

 

I am one of those people who will strike up a conversation with a stranger in a store line. I will make you laugh before the conversation ends. I will make sure you smile before you walk away from me. I will lighten the day of the cashier who has been on their feet for 8 hours dealing with sour faced customers, one after another, all 8 hours.

 

Isn’t that what we are called to be? A light?

 

How bright does yours shine?

 

Is it even on?

 

 

Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV)

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.