People aren’t always aware of how they affect others with their attitudes and actions.
I was standing in the line of a very crabby cashier at Wal-Mart. Usually the people were friendly and helpful, so I was surprised.
I was also a little offended.
After all, I fumed to myself, they get paid to work with customers. She HAS to be nice to the customers. But she wasn’t.
I thought of a stinging remark to bring her to her senses, but the Lord put grace in my heart and tongue. He rebuked me before I could rebuke her.
Instead, when it was my turn, I smiled at her and asked her how her day was.
She almost started crying and told me she was leaving work early to go to a funeral. She had another one the next day. They were both unexpected deaths of people close to her.
I listened while she rang me up and spoke of the pain that caused the bitterness of her heart and mind. I told her I would pray for her and she reacted as if she wanted to hug me.
The Lord taught me something in dealing with Ms. Crabby Pants. There’s usually a reason people are crabby, and I needed to be more graceful in finding that reason and help bear that burden. Hurting people hurt people.
Fast forward about several years.
I was driving down the street, extremely distracted. I accidentally made a left turn in front of a huge pickup truck when it was his turn to go.
It was one of those testosterone trucks, you know with the huge tires, the noisy muffler, the fog lights – all the bells and whistles a man embellishes with when he wears his testosterone on the outside.
It wasn’t a close call, he’d barely touched his accelerator. He just didn’t get to go first. A mom in a minivan beat him through the intersection.
He reared his huge arms in fists and shook them at me. He honked and yelled furiously. If I had gotten out of my car, I’m pretty sure he would have hit me. It took him less than five seconds to go from idling to furious.
I had just experienced five seconds that affected my life, too.
My doctor had just said,
As this man abused me from the comfort of his testosterone truck, I sadly wondered if his reaction would have been different if he knew what I had just heard- a diagnosis of thyroid cancer – that I had a good reason to be a little distracted.
Probably not.
I was very thankful I hadn’t hurt anybody, that it wasn’t a serious mistake, but it changed my view on other drivers.
Some are just jerks, no doubt.
But, you never know when someone on the road driving stupid because
~they’re driving to a funeral
~they just heard bad news
~had a medical issue.
Fill in the blanks.
Then fill your heart with grace, mercy and understanding.
Oh yea, and if they’re pulling out in front of you, make sure you hit your breaks.
Then, instead of shaking your fists, pray for them. You just never know how you could affect them.
I had come over here to read your story about the blizzard you’d mentioned, and found this instead. Wow – what a great sermon on selfishness vs. compassion for one another! Thank you!
I had know idea that u had cancer. Glad it seems to be managable. So true about judging people. We think we are the only ones with problems. Great lesson on giving one another grace.
This reminded me of when I was a child and we got in a car accident. The man who hit us had been distracted because he just found out his son had cancer and he just blew the stop sign. When he said that my dad’s level of anger/frustration went away and he really felt bad for the guy. You could see that he was visibly shaken.
As you know, you and my brother have both fought cancer three times. It’s amazing all the new treatments that they have out there. This last one, as you know, has saved my brother’s life. I am so thankful to the Lord for the healing medicine out there that is allowing both you and him to be restored to health!
I really appreciate the reminder too, because sometimes I get impatient with people and I have to remember that I don’t know what’s going on with them!
The other day some guy got mad at me because he pulled in front of me and I swerved and he put on his brakes and his girlfriend got mad at him. So he got mad at me and made a rude gesture. I wasn’t having a good day due to my back and so his response just really bothered me because HE was in the wrong, not me! So I drove home feeling upset and “wronged” and I know that it was mostly due to my back pain because ordinarily something like that wouldn’t bother me.
Thank you for linking up to Making Your Home Sing Monday!
Very true. Showing compassion as you did to that cashier and telling her you would pray went a long way – I hope I remember this for the next time I’m in a similar situation.
Well said, Mindy. I have found that most “crabby” people just need to talk to someone. And it’s amazing how much they will open up when they find out that someone really cares about them.
Blessings to you, my friend. 🙂
Thank you, Lisa. I agree, having ears is about the best ministry a Christian can have. The world is filled with hurting and lonely people. Thank you for your kindness today!
I often wonder what makes people act the way they do. This is a good reminder to give them grace and pray for them. I have been wondering?? How is your cancer? Are you free of it?? Thinking and praying for you today!!
Yea, I realized very early this morning while in bed that I didn’t give enough details for those that are new to my cancer life. I’m on my third round of cancer, but the tumors are not growing, so we’re just “watching” them. I like to “ignore” them. My side affects are from being hyperthyroid to shrink the tumors, not from the cancer itself. They say I will probably never be cured, but I should die WITH it not FROM it. Thanks for your prayers.
Wow, what a powerful post. Thanks for the reminder to give grace. You just never know…
Thanks for stopping by, Linda. I always enjoy hearing from you!
I appreciated your encouragement today.