Holy Moments at Nordstrom

I met a new friend 8 days ago.  This sweet gal is exploring Christianity and today she wondered out loud if we are supposed to be holy and if so, is it even possible?  “Oh yes”  I quickly replied.  “Holiness simply means being set apart for righteousness – or doing right”.

It was a nice Bible Study answer.

2 hours later I strolled into Nordstrom looking pretty chic (for me, at least) in DARLING shoes that no human should be required to wear more than 30 nano-seconds. I had come to return a purchase I made the day before.  If you know anything at all about Nordstrom you know that their customer service is beyond.  You don’t like it?  Return it.  It doesn’t fit? Return it.  Worn it for 7 years and it’s starting to fade?  No problem. We’ll gladly give you a refund.  Well, maybe that’s a bit far out, but you get the point.

At any rate, I walked (hobbled?) into the store, produced my undesired item with receipt and tag still attached and had the price credited back to my account.  Done.  Finished.  Mark the errand off the list.

But something didn’t seem right.  The shirt cost $29.99 and my refund receipt said $52.47.  But the tag was still attached with the price barcode still intact.  Maybe I misread the original price.  After all, I had purchased several items the day before.

I limped out of Nordstrom in my too tall shoes and got back into my car. But, like my new friend, God had a question for me today, too.

“Can you really drive away knowing that you may have received too much money back?”

But it was their mistake – if it even was a mistake. And my feet hurt really, really bad.

“Is this the kind of person you want to be?”  God whispered.   “Isn’t your integrity worth a little inconvenience?”

I threw off my heals and found an old pair of flip flops in my trunk.

Now, if I am being totally honest here I must admit that a small little part of me thought the Norstrom employees would be impressed with my honesty.  In the back of my mind I pictured a friendly smile and shout out to the girl who did right. But no one at Nordstrom applauded my integrity.  No one said “thanks for finding our mistake and righting the wrong.”  No one even seemed to care.

Except God.

To my new, dear friend: I have the answer to your question.  The answer is yes.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 peter 1:15,16)