My daughter and I spent this past weekend visiting with a dear couple that I worked for sixteen plus years ago. They had unknowingly given me my very first job in the insurance industry. They had been on vacation when I was hired. I was six months pregnant at the time. I will always remember the look on his face when he walked by my desk for the first time. What a sweet friendship it turned out to be though.
Seeing them reminded me of a funny story they may or may not recall. I was nine months pregnant and feeling very uncomfortable. When you are nine months pregnant, you want to wear loose fitting clothes, anything that will be more comfortable than the tight jeans you were used to wearing pre-baby. If you know me, jeans are my thing, but this time in my life called for loose and easy wear – that thing you ladies call “a dress.” This wasn’t any kind of dress. It was a two piece dress – one full piece with another piece you wore like a long jacket. I still remember the color – black, for slimming effects. Slimming effects nine months pregnant? One can dream.
As do all pregnant ladies, you spend a lot of time in the bathroom, and I was no exception. While at work, I made what seemed to be my ninth trip to the ladies room this day, wearing this two piece dress. I must admit, in addition to dawning this frock, I wore nude knee-high pantie hose as well. And no pregnant lady is complete without her full size bloomers in tow. Lets face it ladies, you aren’t adorning those bikini bottoms anymore.
I came out of the bathroom and made my way down the hall, past the office manager’s cubicle on my way back to my desk. As I walked past the office manager, and the next cubicle, I heard a voice say, “Jeanette, Jeanette, Jeanette. Come here. Don’t turn around, walk backwards very slowly. Back up into my cubicle immediately.” Being an obedient employee, I began to walk backwards to her cubicle, totally dumbfounded as to why I was walking backwards. Once arriving, she politely and with hysterical, although quiet laughter, pointed out the fact that my big bloomers were showing. Ladies and gents, I had some how tucked the back part of the dress into the top of my bloomers, and what was to be the coat, caught itself on the bulge and did not cover anything up. Here I was, flaunting my big white bloomers, nude knee highs, and pasty white thighs all the way down the hall. I hope you hadn’t just finished eating.
The point – She could have very easily let me walk by without calling out the obvious. She could have allowed me to further embarrass myself by letting me make it to the front of the office, past the receptionist, and any customers who may have been there that day, but she didn’t. What could have played out as a cruel joke, actually turned into a gesture of care and consideration for a nine month pregnant lady who had only been employed there three months.
Matthew 22:37-39, “Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” “This is the first and greatest commandment. “And the second is like it, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Had any one of us found ourselves in the same position, most assuredly, we would have wanted someone to point out the obvious, to save us from ridicule and the like. She hadn’t known me very long, but she showed me compassion that day by saving me from further embarrassment.
Sometimes, we see things while walking in stores and around town and we want to say something to that person, but too many times, we walk on, fearful of walking up to them and pointing out the obvious. If you have been in your local retail store, you know what I’m talking about. We are commanded to love others as ourselves. Makes me think.
Father, thank you for bringing me to that place of employment all those years ago, where my memories of what you did there are as sweet as honey on a biscuit. Father help us to love others as ourselves as you have commanded. More importantly, help us to love you first and foremost. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
Standing on the promises,
Jeanette Duby
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