Purple Stones and Other Worthless Idols

I put it off as long as I can.

Going to Sally's Beauty supply to buy hair product to cover my dark roots. It's such a foil ridden, hair-in-my-face, bending over backward to get the back strands, bleachy, messy ordeal. For 2 hours I look like a metal Medusa. That's what it takes to highlight this scandalously long hair, as my daughter puts it.

But I went, picked out the packet and two bottles of developer because they were on sale and stood in line to pay.

The cashier with blood-red dyed hair and eyebrows to match was fumbling and fighting with a receipt, tearing it in half, apologizing, dropping things and otherwise having a very difficult time of ringing up her customers. As I approached my turn, she said,

"Have you ever had one of those days where you seem to be all thumbs and clumsy?"

"All the time," I replied.

While she explained to me the difference between 30 volume and 20 volume developer, I noticed a pretty purplish marbled stone on her register.

Charoite

"Is that amethyst?" I asked.

"No, it's something I can't really pronounce...charo...sharite...something like that." She went on, " it opens the frontal chakra and the back lobe chakra and the third eye, you know, so your mind is aware, thoughts are clear and everything is flowing smoothly through your body."

I was a little rattled by the 'third eye' thing but blurted out

"It doesn't seem to be working for you today,  does it?"

Did I really just say that? The verbal filter thins out as we enter the deeps of middle age.
But she wasn't offended. Instead she picked up the rock, caressed it and kneaded it in the palm and fingers of one hand, punched register keys with the other and said endearingly, "I just love it."

Collecting my package and walking away I pondered. Is that rock going to help you when you need help? Will it rescue you when you need rescuing? Worthless idols, dead objects that have

no eyes to see
no ears to hear
no heart to love you back.

Just like the worthless things I spend my time on: stupid TV shows that I think are going to make me feel better or the rush of  a new purchase to perk up my day,  dark chocolate, excessive sunning, or....a myriad of other things that disappoint and leave me empty.....

I also felt really guilty for not being gracious and telling her about the love of Jesus,

the true and living God.

Maybe someone kinder will speak those words and give her more than a lump of lavender granite to place her faith in.