Sometimes, You Care Too Much To Care!

Last night I was at the grocery store with my daughter picking up dessert.  We had been to the Homecoming where one of my granddaughters, Miss Jaclynn, was one of the princesses; she represented the kindergarten class.  We enjoyed the evening and had promised the kids that we would get a treat after the ceremony – so we were at Safeway picking up good old-fashioned apple pie and of course vanilla ice cream :)

As we were shopping, I received a phone call from one of my sons.  When I answered the phone all I could hear was crying, inconsolable crying.  At first I thought that it was a “pocket dialed” call, but then I realized that the crying voice was trying to say something.  I continued to say, “Hello” louder, and louder!  I couldn't discern if the crying voice was one of the grand kids or my daughter-in-law…so panic set in!  I immediately feared that something so terrible had happened to one of the kids or my son – so I began to grow more and more concerned…and it was very evident to those around me as my voice grew louder and louder still!  Finally, my son got on the phone and said, “Jaydon, I think Grammie is starting to panic there, I better talk to her.”   Whew! And Praise the Lord! Apparently, our grandson was having a hard time and just wanted to talk to Grammie and Papa so he could feel better. 

As all this was happening I really didn't care how loud I was, and I didn't notice anyone around me, and I really didn't care if they did – it wasn't a thought in my mind at all!  My daughter however was the unfortunate soul that did see and notice everyone staring at her mother…oops! During this whole episode I gave it no thought.  I wasn't embarrassed, and if people looked at me I didn't notice.  My very sweet and loving daughter said nothing about it – that is until we got outside.

When we stepped out of the store she laughingly said, “Mom, do you know how loud you were talking? Here let me show you.  No, wait, I’ll wait till we get in the car because I don’t want to draw attention out here in the parking lot as everyone would hear me!”   When we got in the car, she began to detail how everyone looked at me, the level and tone of my panicked voice, and of course she then embellished the story for my husband's sake by saying how she tried to elude me…but in the end, as I thought about it, I realized that if it were to happen again I would probably do the same thing because honestly –I just didn't care about what those people thought; I care so much more about what could have happened to my family!  I did care that my daughter had to be seen with me during my moment of "panic."  We laughed as she described how the people across the bakery by the deli counter all stopped their conversations to watch me crescendo "hello" with heightened fear!

The truth is when we are enveloped in what we are passionate about; we don’t let minor details of how people look at us, or what they might be thinking deter our passion.  Oh that we would be that way about serving the Lord and reaching the lost!  I am not saying that we should go to grocery stores and yell so that people stare at us like we’re weird on purpose, but, I do think we shouldn't let people’s opinions quiet us from giving out the Gospel or stop us from doing what God wants us to do.  Sometimes we need to be zealous – about good things and we should care so much that we don't care about what people might think.

“But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing…”  Galatians 4:18

Have a wonderful day!