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I don’t have all the answers. I just know we are supposed to be kind. I’m learning to recognize that when others seem grouchy and just plain mean, they probably have something else going on underneath the rough exterior. Those people probably don’t feel inside the way they appear on the outside. Deep down their hearts ache.
We need to grant others the benefit of the doubt and mercy needs to stand tall over our unpleasant situations. (Tweet that)
This morning I was faced with a situation where I didn’t really feel like extending mercy. The Lord’s been speaking mercy to me. He’s teaching me to demonstrate it in all situations. And let me just say, “It is not easy!”
I’ve often told you that everything I write usually begins as a lesson to me from God. He speaks to me through His word or specific situations. It seems like I’m forever the child who must be taught… over and over and over again.
This morning at our hotel, we had breakfast in the little restaurant. The breakfast ends at 10:00 am. I showed up at 9:30 with twins in tow. The restaurant was very busy and it took them almost 20 minutes to seat us. Once we were seated, no one came to give me a menu or even take a drink order. After about 10 minutes of trying my hardest to convince my children the importance of patience, I slowly began to lose mine.
I kindly called the waitress to our table and told her I would like to order. Her response was, “Okay, but we stop serving at 10:00 on weekdays.” I kindly (as my blood began to boil over) reminded her that I was there in plenty of time. With an attitude she fake smiled at me and said, “Correct.”
Our service from beginning to end wasn’t pleasant and the two year old trapped inside me really wanted to march to the front desk, impatiently explain the situation, and demand a refund for my breakfast. And do you know what? After how the entire breakfast unfolded it may not have been such a terrible thing to do, but I knew I shouldn’t.
I don’t know what that waitress is facing in her life or how horrible her morning might have been. I do know that there is a lot worse going on in the world than me needing a timely breakfast served with a smile.
I can be spoiled. Can be??? Let me rephrase, “I am spoiled!”
I knew when I wrote my eBook, Mercy Waits, God was going to point out some things that were not necessarily going to be comfortable. Through this, I’m learning to think…
I’m learning to think about the person next to me, to have compassion over their bad attitudes and sometimes rude responses. God knows I’m guilty of those attitudes far more often than I would like to admit.
Christ gave me mercy beyond compare. Because of His great love, I need to learn to demonstrate some of my own. I can’t allow my mercy to wait. I must give it freely.
Colossians 3:14
But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. (N.K.J.V.)
When it comes down to it… who cares if I’m served a hot breakfast with a smile?
As a business owner II always want to tell the manager or owner about the poor service or rude employee. Sometimes I do, but I often remember a dinner with you many years ago at Chili’s. Our waitress was a mess, I was ready to tell her off and get her fired. You then said to me “I think something is going on with her. We should ask her if we can pray with her.” We did and that girl sat down and cried as we prayed. I will never forget that moment.
Dear Jennifer
This reminds me of the time when our whole family went out on a lunch date. I ordered a chicken burger with an egg. I need to add that the restaurant was very busy. After about an hour our orders arrived, mine without an egg. My husband kindly asked the waitress to please remember the egg. After about 15 minutes the cook stormed from the kitchen and flopped an egg on my plate. She was very unfriendly and rude. I told my husband to just be kind to her. The next day we heard that this poor lady took her handbag not long after this incident and left the restaurant for good. This poor woman was responsible to cook for the whole restaurant without help! Shows you !!!
Blessings XX
Mia
Sounds like you and I are in the same class 🙂 Seems the hard lessons are the ones that tend to stick for me. And I as I was talking to Him this morning I even said…but Lord I know I am sooooo spoiled….He said you got that right…. I tend to forget how much grace and mercy has been required to get me to where I am standing today.
Thanks for reading, Kimberly. I think we all need reminders of not only how much we are blessed with, but the mercy that covered us along the way. Have a wonderful day!
This is such a good reminder of extending grace, especially when we don’t know all that could be going on in a situation. But I’m with you…sometimes it’s hard to keep our cool…you reflected Him when you chose it. 🙂 Love this, friend…thank you for sharing!