Would you like some humble pie with your packing tape?

I hadn't intended to have two serious-ish posts in a row, but I had something happen this evening that I felt like I should share.  Anyway, it's been so long since my last post that it doesn't really count as being "in a row," though, right?

On days when I'm not working I usually go to the gym sometime in the late morning or early afternoon.  I find running on the treadmill to be exceedingly boring. Combine that with the fact that I detest running to begin with, it is necessary to find a distraction.  Out of the array of tv's suspended from the ceiling near the treadmills, the only one that consistently has the subtitles on is whichever one is tuned to MTV.  At this time of the day, MTV is always showing either "16 and Pregnant" or "Teen Mom." Not the most stimulating or uplifting of shows, but they provide the necessary distraction.  Also, I feel like I should note, good for MTV for airing shows that bring to light some of the very real consequences of teen sex.

Fast forward to this evening when I found myself at Wal-Mart on a run for some packing tape.  I've been feeling generally lousy most of the day and I just wanted to go back home.  Of course, when it came time to check out, there were only two registers open.  I chose the one with the shorter line.  Ahead of me, there was a young couple, unmarried, as far as I could observe, neither she nor he could have been older than 18 or so. Sitting in their cart which was full to overflowing with baby items and general life stuff, was their daughter, who must have been somewhere between 18 and 24 months old.  They were dressed like maybe they came from a neighborhood that wasn't so great and they kept their eyes glued to the computer screen, watching the total price of their haul grow.  In short, they looked like prime candidates for either of those MTV shows I watch while I run on the treadmill.

I was taking this in and selfishly wondering how much longer I was going to have to stand in line if they discovered the total was too high and had to choose something to get rid of.  They cashier finally finished ringing up all of the items and told the couple the total as the dad was carefully counting out bills to pay.  The total was $106.54, but the cashier asked the couple if they would like to round it off to $107 and donate the extra 46 cents to the Children's Hospital of Boston.  Just as my mind was thinking "Right.  I'm sure these guys have to save every penny they can..." the mom and the dad simultaneously perked up and answered "Sure!"  Then they finished their transaction and went on their way.

...

I haven't felt so rotten about myself in quite a while.  It was only 46 cents, but the willingness and generosity of this couple, to my utter shame, surprised me.  Even though no one could hear my mental barbs, I still wanted to shrink down into my shoes.  What ever happened to "judge not that ye be not judged?!"  How could I stand there making assumptions about the quality and standing of this little family?  What right do I have?  Which party was going out of their way to be Christlike?  Maybe that wasn't their goal, but that's sure what it looked like to me.  I'm not sharing this, necessarily, to berate myself for being so judgmental and un-charitable, but to instead remember my own place in this life.  That is to not judge others and to be charitable at all times and in all things and in all places.  How easy for me it is to let my guard down and to become absorbed in my own worries.  How easy is to pass judgment on that which I don't know.  I'm thankful for the little reminder I received this evening.  I hope not to forget again.

If you're not tired of reading, I want to end with one of my very favorite story.  It's a Christmas story, but the message applies all year round:

Why the Chimes Rang