I was standing in line at the gas station, just waiting to pay for my fuel. A young woman was in front of me, and it seemed like the process was taking a while. I overheard the cashier telling her that both of her cards had been declined. She looked frustrated and asked him, “Is something wrong with your machine?”
After that, she turned to walk away. I happened to be smiling at the moment, and when she saw me, she snapped, “Why are you smiling?” I gently replied, “Mind your language. I smile all the time—and you should too.”
Once she stepped aside, I asked the cashier, “Which pump is she on?”
He said, “Pump number two…why?”
I told him, “I’d like to put $20 on pump two for her.”
The cashier was surprised. “Are you serious? She was pretty rude to you,” he said.
Right then, another man in line spoke up and said, “Go ahead and fill it up—I’ll split the cost with you.”
We all went outside to tell the woman about the gas. As soon as we did, she broke down in tears and apologized again and again. She walked to her truck and showed us her new-hire paperwork. She was starting a job on Monday and just needed enough gas to get through the week until her first paycheck.
In that moment, I silently prayed, “Lord, thank you for reminding me why I should always keep a smile on my face.”
This experience showed me that we never truly know what someone else is going through—and that each of us has a purpose on this earth.
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