The Parable of the Delivery People
Shipt has been delivering my groceries for approximately two years now. It saves a lot of time, especially now since I’m not fond of going to the stores, especially during COVID. I received a text from a young lady “Ameerah” telling me she was starting to shop for my groceries, but she was running a little bit behind in her delivery schedule. I told her that was not a problem as I was working from home today anyway.
Throughout the morning I received a couple of texts with questions about the products I wanted to buy, then the phone got very quiet, one hour late, then two hours late from the scheduled delivery time. She was a new shopper to me, as I’ve met most of the locals, and thinking that she was having a rough morning, I left her a note on the door with a cash tip attached.
In the meantime, during her delay, along comes another delivery person (I’ll call) “Sam.” I could see him approach the door from my office window. So, I left my office, went to the front door, unlocked it, and through the glass window I could see him crouched down reading the note.
As he left the front door and got into his vehicle, I opened the front door to retrieve the box. But when I looked down at the note, I noticed that the money for the grocery shopper, “Ameerah” was gone.
I shouldn’t have been shocked; however, I must have had some kind of weird expression on my face because he put his vehicle in reverse, stopped, and got out, then approached me saying, “Oh this wasn’t for me?” He handed back the $20 bill.
Here’s the miracle. Without a nanosecond of hesitation, I looked at him and I said, “Thank you, but do you need this? I’m happy to give it to you.” “No, no,” he said. I could see he was embarrassed. “Are you sure, because you can have it.” He declined the offer again, then got into his van and left.
Now some people would say that the miracle was that “Sam” returned the money. I’m not so sure. I think the miracle happened from within me. There was no judgment. There was no condemnation. I didn’t even believe there was a reason to forgive. I felt kinda neutral actually. Genuinely, if there was a need to feed his family or to pay his electric bill, it didn’t matter to me. He could have taken it.
Understand that I do not stand out in my front yard and throw $20 bills around the neighborhood, otherwise I would’ve had lots and lots of friends! But I do have a God, who is yours also, that has already built good into this world. We could call it a conscience, knowing what’s right and wrong, our soul, our spirit, our being. But I call it God’s love.
My life is far from perfect and presents many challenges just like yours. But if we open our eyes and our ears, God assures us that He is with us, even in the smallest and most hidden ways sometimes. That’s the miracle. He will share his comfort and peace with you today as well. Look for it. It’s there, given to all of us by His mercy and grace.
PS: Ameerah (the original grocery shopper in this story) finally got her tip. Said it was the sweetest note ever. She took the note and all. God bless all the essential service employees of this world today! He loves every one of them!
Psalm 71:18 New Living Translation (NLT)
“ Now that I am old and gray,
do not abandon me, O’ God.
Let me proclaim your power to this new generation,
your mighty miracles to all who come after me.”
[written April 4, 2020]
Bonnie Zickgraf is a retired pastor, author, columnist for The Times, and RN in mental health nursing. Send comments and prayer requests to [email protected].