During worship on Sunday I posed a question to the young people of our church. The general question that I shared was adapted from our Sunday morning book study that takes place before worship. I shortened the question from the book down a bit for the young people, but I want to share the full version with you today. Pastor Rusty George asked this question of his readers in his book Being Together:
"How can we become kind or good or loving if we aren’t around others to be kind, good, and loving toward? How can we demonstrate kindness, gentleness, and self-control if we don’t have other people challenging and testing our commitment to display these qualities?"
As I said Sunday, and reiterate now, the struggle that this question asks is real. Often the chance to apply the answer to this question comes when we least expect it. Let me explain:
After church on Sunday Jennifer and I decided to order take out from Panera Bread. So, I opened app on my iPhone and the three of us choose what we wanted for lunch. Soup. Sandwiches. Mac N Cheese in a bread bowl. We ordered our lunch and I left the house to pick it up. Walking across the parking lot, I was warmed by the sunny afternoon. Traffic was heavy on the way over, but that did not bother me much. This was a good day for sure. As I picked up the bag of food and held it both hands for security’s sake, I walked toward the door.
As I got to the door my chance came!
The woman in front of me walked out carrying her lunch. I was walking behind her when another woman attempted to pushed past us both. Yes, she actually lowered her shoulder and attempted to push us. Her husband stood outside the door realizing that his wife was being a rude while he was being patient. It was a shock to see someone acting like this. Now in that instance what was I going to do. Was I going to say, ‘oh excuse me,’ and back up? Would I ignore her rudeness and go about my day? Although she was rude, would my mind gravitate toward a posture of sadness—something in her life was pressing upon her to such a degree that she made a rude choice?
Nope. . . I was annoyed. Very annoyed in this moment. As she bumped into me, I gave no ground. I arrived at the door first and therefore common etiquette says that I should go through the door. So I did. My irrigation was compounded because of social distancing guidelines that have been with us for over a year. Why be this aggressive when walking into a restaurant?
I made it one to the curb when the conviction of the Holy Spirit fell upon me and Rusty’s words came back into my mind.
Yes, that woman was rude. Yes, it bothered me. Yes she gave little if any thought to the people around her. Yes she should have remained a bit more separated from us socially. Perhaps I was justified in my feelings, but I had the chance to be good, kind, and loving to someone and when the moment came, I choose none of those options. I made it to the truck unsure if my agitation was because of this woman’s choice or my response. . .
I wonder how you respond when these moments happen in your day? We all have the chance to be good, kind, and loving? But will we? When the moment comes, and it will come today, how might you respond?
Blessings
Rev. Derek
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