We were travelling to Tauranga for the weekend, and a new friend, Rosemary, asked if I wouldn’t mind picking up a grocery order for her from New World. Sure thing, not a biggie.
We love adventures while on a break – doing different things, exploring new areas and places – so we thought this could possibly be tagged ‘adventure’, and thus added this task to The Adventure List. Easy.
The instructions for collecting the groceries seemed clear: Ask for Julie by name, receive the package, pay $116.80, thank you very much, walk away with a smile.
Julie had been informed: the package would be collected today.
Wanting everything to go smoothly for us, Rosey provided extra information: the cost of each identical item (forty in total) was $2.92, the supermarket’s address and phone number. Double easy.
Walking boldly into the store, scanning confidently, it quickly became obvious that there was no counter for enquiries or customer service. No one making eye contact. And no Julie waiting at the entrance all day for me to drop on by at any hour and be served because she had no other tasks on her To Do List that day.
The supermarket was buzzing with the lunch time rush.
Okay. Not a great time to come. Which one is Julie?? How do I even find her, let alone speak with her?
Feeling less-than-bold now, I edged towards a kindly looking lady and her empty checkout. “Hello, I’m here to pick up some groceries for a friend. I was told that Julie had organised everything. My friend just said to come in and ask for Julie. Are you able to help me?”
Big blank eyes from kindly lady, followed by enquiring expression and tilted head. Was I rambling? Did Julie even exist? Wasn’t this supposed to be easy?
Kindly lady kindly smiled. “Julie? Yes, she is here. I will get her for you.” And off she went. Whew.
Letting out the breath I didn’t know I was holding, I smiled. Easy. Julie does exist, and her name was the key! Easy unlocked.
Except that kindly lady was now returning down the aisle, Julie-less. “I’m sorry, Julie is on her break. But she left a note. You’re picking up an order of forty items for Rosemary, is that correct?” I nodded. Yay Julie! Thanks!
“I’ll just go and get the order.” And off she went. Again.
Returning still Julie-less, but this time with an oversized box, she slipped into her checkout. Blip went the scanner, and the total was calculated. “OK, so the total is $140. How would you to like pay for that?” Kindly lady really did have a kindly smile.
“Umm, that’s not right.”
My reply probably came out a little more forcefully than I meant it … “Oh, but I was told that the total would be $116.80. Julie said it would be one sixteen eighty, not $140.” What will I do if Kindly insists on one forty? Stand my ground? Ring Rosey, disturb her at work? Walk away …
I started rambling again. “My friend has been speaking with Julie, and Julie said it would be $116.80.” Did I not just say that? Definitely rambling.
“She’s budgeted for that price, so I’m not sure I should take them if it’s the higher price. I might have to ring her up and ask her what she wants to do.” This is SO not an adventure. Well, not a good one.
Kindly reread the note that Julie had attached to one of the items. “Oh, I think it’s because your friend ordered a different brand, and we ran out of that, so Julie has given her another brand, and it’s more expensive. But if Julie said that was the price, then that will be the price.”
She turned the note over. “Oh! Julie has written on here to charge you the lower price. I’m sorry that I didn’t see that at first.”
My turn for blank eyes, enquiring expression and tilted head. What? Then, Yay Julie! Your name is King (or Queen) here! Aww, and how kind …
Transaction completed, thanks all round, we walked out of New World thinking that everything had worked out so well. Julie’s name really did make all the difference! It obviously carried authority. To use it was to get results! Rosey would be stoked too. Everyone loves a bargain, right?
Why has this adventure stuck in my mind?
Well, if we dare to look beyond the face-value of all of our experiences, and invite the Holy Spirit to teach us, we can learn so much. There’s actually a name that we as Christians have been told to use – the Name of Jesus. I wonder if we truly understand the force of wielding it?
Do we speak his Name with confidence and boldness, knowing that his authority is higher above anything we perceive or imagine? Do we expect that, in the Name of Jesus, paths will be cleared, obstacles will be shifted, power will be released, results will be good?
Food for thought. And probably more than $116.80’s worth.
Keri Pollard
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