Maidens going out to draw water - I Samuel 9:6-14
Each afternoon the young girls in each Israelite town would get water for their families at the community well. This was a chore but also a social time for all the girls to connect with their friends and discuss the latest events in town.
During one of these trips, they were greeted by two men, one a tall, handsome and distinguished young man (the future king Saul), and the other appeared to be a family servant, who were looking for a lost donkey.
The men asked the girls if the prophet Samuel was in their town. “‘He is’, they answered. ‘He‘s ahead of you. Hurry now: he has just come to our town today, for the people have a sacrifice at the high place. As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not begin eating until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterwards, those who are invited will eat. Go up now; you should find him about this time’ (NIV)”.
Whenever I read this portion of scripture it always amazes me that the girls knew all the goings and comings of Samuel. My thoughts are that if the two men had run into a group of young boys, they would have had no clue where Samuel was. Even if he had run into a group of men they probably would not know all the things these girls noticed.
In a similar fashion whenever I am confused about something in a store I always ask a random woman in the aisles for advice. I remember asking a women’s advice on what to bring to a potluck I was going to, I still get compliments on the four hummus dip and flat breads I bring for appetizers. Another time I ran into a woman I knew at church and she recommended chips with a lime dill flavor, that her husband love’s, I am getting raves for that also.
When I am shopping for my house asking random women advice has had amazing results. A few years back I had my bedroom painted and bought new bedroom furniture; my comforter now did not match my bedroom makeover.
Going into “Bed Bath and Beyond”, paint can and a drawer from my dresser in tow. With the help of their sales clerk we picked out a cover that matched the can and the drawer. We put the can and drawer next to the Duvet cover and the clerk told me it was a perfect match. I thought it looked pretty good, but felt the clerk might be biased toward her store, I felt I needed a second opinion.
I eyed a woman, a few years older than me, walking down another aisle and I went over and asked if she could give a woman’s opinion. I got the feeling I had made her day as she followed me back to my display.
She informed me the colors I had picked out “were perfect…IF YOU WERE IN JUNIOR HIGH.” She told me a cover at Macy’s, across town, would look fabulous. She even told me to go down the escalator and head left toward the corner and it was a “Ralph Lauren Home” brand. It amazed me that she knew all this. She also said if you have a bed with side boards use a fitted sheet over the box spring.
I immediately went to Macy’s and purchased a comforter cover and two sets of sheets, of what she recommended. The next day I came back to buy a third set and the clerk told me that an Asian man had bought “absolutely everything” right after I left. She said the Asian guy was upset that “the blond guy” had beaten him out of some of the store’s stock.
It still amazes me that this random woman, just off my paint can and drawer front was able to know that bedding across town would be perfect. Whenever I have people over and they pick up their coats off my bed they always comment at how great everything looks.
With assistance from sisters, girlfriends, female friends and random women in the store aisles, they have made my home a showplace. I have had people ask, “Are you sure you have never been married” and others have made comments to the effect I decorate better than the guys that play for the other team. I always respond “I get a lot of help”.
