The Target Sweater

Something interesting happened to me today.

This evening, I went into Target to buy a couple things. I left with 2 sweaters, the makeup I came for, and some pens. Every time I go to Target, I seem to remember something else that I was going to get and so I end up with a few more items… and tonight was no different.

I’m not a receipt-checker normally, but I remembered the total for the purchase being a lot less than I thought it would be so when I was at the light before my complex, I checked the receipt. Only one sweater was listed on the receipt with the other things I’d bought.

A debate began in my head:

Should I keep going home? Should I just come back tomorrow? (I was two minutes away from my cozy apartment and hadn’t been home for 12 hours) Should I turn around and return it? Maybe they were having a buy one get one free on the sweaters and it would be a waste of my time?

I decided to do what I didn’t really want to do and turned around. Target was a few minutes from closing so they weren’t super happy to see me walk through the doors as I made my way to customer service.

Sure enough, no “buy one get one free” on the sweater. The Target people thanked me for coming back and then asked whether it would be debit or credit. I had to turn around, be inconvenienced and spend more money.

I share this story because:

1. I have heard of these things happening before but they’ve never happened to me – so I’m glad I checked my receipt!

2. I realized how stinking selfish I was in the moment of debate in this situation. My FIRST thought should have been to go back, not think about how much I wanted to go home, or to reason myself out of paying for the sweater.

3. When I was checking out the first time, I had a little conversation with the cashier. We discussed the slowness of the night customer-wise, the rain outside, and the South. She asked why I was here and I told her about Moody and answered her questions about the school. I didn’t share the gospel with her, but I know that she was interested in the school and such, and I know that she saw me come back to pay for the sweater. That was pretty neat. I just waved goodbye and left (they were closing, remember?) but I hope that really small thing made an impact for Christ. Who knows?

I left praising Him for the Target sweater.