Sassy

Last night while I was grocery shopping, strolling down the isles, I locked eyes with a Sassy little tweeny bopper around age twelve or thirteen. She was bossing her younger sister around. I immediately thought to myself, “She thinks she’s all bad.”

The Sassy little girl kept giving me dirty looks throughout the store as we crossed paths. I kept thinking thoughts such as, “What a little brat”, “So ungrateful”, “She acts way older than what she is”.

Finally as I’m at the long checkout line, I see her again at the corner of my eye. I here the trashy language coming out of her mouth as her and her family stands behind me. Grieved in my spirit, wondering why mom doesn’t care, I continue to get upset in my heart and thoughts towards this little girl and her mom, thinking of how she is going to have a difficult life.

Eventually The store manager comes out to relieve the other cashier. Sassy girl moves to the next check out line with her mom and little sister. I can’t help but to glance at Sassy off and on as I check out.

As I’m still bagging my groceries (which I don’t mind doing) they start to leave the store. Over and over I ask the Lord how He can touch this lost little girl before she heads full force into life. I keep thinking if I get the chance, I’m gonna tell her that she’s headed for a bad life unless she accepts Jesus and goes to church.

But During my thoughts and prayers, Her mom stops to check her bags to see if all of their groceries are present. At the same time I also here God’s still small voice in the back of my mind say, “LOVE HER”. Very tenderly God is telling me that love is the key.

I ask the Lord, “How can I love someone that I don’t know that I will never see again”? So as I push my cart towards theirs, I look straight at her, she turns around with hand on hip flat chest out, butt sticking out as far as she can, staring me straight in the face with a bad little mad dog face. I ‘m giving her the same response. But just as I reach her, I’m surprised that she’s actually having a staring contest, so I say, “HI”, in a really smooth and kind voice. With a shocked look on her face and humility of spirit, she quickly responds with a happy HI. I was more shocked after her response.

I felt so good that God had put a loving word in my mouth. I then threw all of my groceries in the trunk and as I started to drive away, I welled up with joy for this little girl. I then prayed for Sassy. I asked the Lord to get a hold of her life, and to never let her go, and to bring her into the kingdom of God.

 

I realized that when I went home, that I was planting a seed in the heart of this little girl. And that someone else will come along and water it. I told Gabe my experience and he encouraged me that the little girl was thirsting for attention, asking for trouble, and acting tough so that someone will notice her. Well, God notices her and God is watching over her. He loves her more than anyone in her life. And God was the same with me when I was Sassy’s age. He was so patient with me.

I pray that as Christians, we will weep for the lost. My prayer is that we would not be critical towards the youth. That we will share the Love that God has given to us. He is so tender. We should be also.