​The Supermarket Encounter and a Reflection

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( Note the above image is AI generated to protect the identity of the man in the hoodie, also it is sad that AI can't spell)

I was at the supermarket picking up a few things—no big deal. When I got to the cash register, I couldn't reach one of the small plastic separators used for the conveyor belt. I politely asked the gentleman in front of me if he could pass one to me, but he was deep in conversation on his cell phone.

​To get his attention, I gently tapped him on the shoulder and repeated my request: "Could you please pass me one of those?" He immediately turned around and snapped, F..k off and don't touch me! While his reaction was unnecessary—I was just trying to get his attention—the cashier quickly placed a plastic separator down beside the register so I could load my items. The man continued his conversation in another language; I couldn't understand it, but I don't believe it was French.

​I'm not angry about the situation; it's simply one of those things that happens sometimes, especially right before Christmas. As the man paid and walked away, I noticed he had a biblical verse written on the back of his hoodie: Deuteronomy 31:8. I couldn't read the exact text below the reference, but I was curious.

​When I got back to the car, I immediately Googled the verse. It roughly said that the Lord goes before you and will not forsake you, which I gathered was originally a message to the Israelites.

​I thought to myself, "That is a beautiful message." However, one must strongly believe and act accordingly for the Lord to be their guide and not forsake them. Not that God would necessarily allow them to fall into disarray or deliberately starve them, but biblical advice should be your moral guide. If you don't follow that advice and are not kind to the people around you, why should the Lord protect you any more than anyone else? There is a certain degree of sanctimoniousness in displaying such a verse while acting so aggressively.

​I genuinely wish Christians would behave like Christians. It would be wonderful. I am not a highly evangelical person, but what I observe is that many evangelicals today focus heavily on parts of the Gospel that instruct others how to behave. They emphasize the punitive nature of Christianity—that if you don't do this or that, you're going to hell. They rarely spend their time highlighting how small acts of kindness can make a real difference in life.

​If you want to be a reflection of Christ and inspire belief in Christ, it is time to start acting like Christ.