Inspiration

A Visit to the Store

By Scott Vaughan

My maternal grandfather, a salesman by trade, died in April 1967—a few months before my eighth birthday. Except through the stories of others, I don’t remember him well. Yet, one Sunday afternoon with him still impacts my life today.

In 1967, none of the stores in our small Georgia town were open on Sundays, so it was mildly scandalous when a new superette chose to open its doors after church services. Living on the wild side, my grandfather took me to visit this notorious grocery store on a Sunday afternoon.

Inside the store, my Papa Paul requested a small No. 2 bag, generally reserved for nails and screws. He told me to fill it with as much candy as possible, and he would buy it for me. Walking out of the store, I noticed a little girl sitting alone. Her look and demeanor suggested she was very poor.

My Papa Paul invited her into the store and gave her a No. 2 bag to fill with candy. I will never forget the smile on her face. As he paid for the candy and sent her on her way, the woman behind the counter whispered this word: “Trash”. The woman then bobbed her head in the direction of the shacks that were behind the store property. My grandfather ignored her, but I could tell he was upset.

Back at my house, I shared my candy with Papa Paul as we sat in his car. “What did that woman mean by saying, trash?” I asked him.

“She meant that little girl and her family had no worth—just like trash,” he said. “But that’s not true. The Lord loves that little girl and her family no less than He loves you and me.” He adjusted his black tie as he took my hand and squeezed it.

My Papa Paul didn’t have much money, and I knew he had used all his money to buy candy for me and the little girl. I noticed his empty wallet. I said, “Papa Paul, you used all your money to buy that little girl’s candy.”

That’s when he said the words that still bring tears to my eyes today. “Scott, it’s all God’s money to love and serve other people.”