Breakthrough in the Checkout Line

For the past two years I would run into the same cashier at our company cafeteria.
I'm terrible with ages, but I'd place her early to mid-twenties. Outgoing, very confident individual.
From my first coffee purchase, I'd answer her standard "how are you doing today?" question with my usual, "better than I deserve," response.

I learned that from Pastor Steve Brown at a spiritual conference back in 1991 (not Dave Ramsey, although people ask me that - perhaps Dave got it from Pastor Steve?).

When she first asked what I deserved, I explained that all our blessings come from God as Grace, and not because of anything we do to "deserve it."   In fact, I'm blessed "in spite of" how I've acted before God. That's what Grace is.  Better than I deserve.

That got a cool reception from her two years ago and thereafter. In fact she would cheerfully talk about anything else. Weather, weekend activities, cooking.  She even felt comfortable enough with our cashier-coffee drinker relationship to roll her eyes and say, "whatever," when I replied. Never a curious word or comment about spiritual matters in two years.

But I kept saying it.  And she heard me say it to the other cashiers. "Better than I deserve."

About a month ago I bought coffee and told her I was moving across town to a different office.
She surprised me by saying that she was moving to another state for the summer to study with a well known chef.
We talked about her big step during the brief exchange of dollars and cents each day. Then "tomorrow" was the last day for both of us before our respective changes of venue.

As I walked up to her cash register, I was the first to ask, "how are you doing today?"
Her sly smile gave way to a blush as she said, "Better than I deserve."

It took a second for that to hit me and she saw the look of surprise on my face. Believe me, it was genuine, no-comeback surprise.

"I only said it  because that's what you always say," she backpedaled, and then quickly changed the subject to travel plans and her new job.

If you added up all the seconds of check-out line conversation during the past two years, it probably totals an hour or three, tops. But she locked in on the most elemental building block of our Christian faith:
We are doing better than we deserve. Not works-oriented...Grace-oriented.

Who knows how God will add to that insight with other people or events in her life?
Who knows how many people are listening to what you say each day as they pretend indifference to the spiritual matters of life.
Maybe it doesn't matter...

What do you believe?