I just became a little irritated…
I went into the Family Christian Bookstore to pick up a copy of Worship Leader magazine. They are $3.95 per copy. I should get a subscription… but that’s another story!
I always dread the man that works at the checkout. I feel terrible about it, but he makes me really uncomfortable. All I want is the magazine but this is what happened today:
“Do you have a membership with us?”
“Yes, but I don’t have the card on me.”
He looks me up on the computer.
“It says here that you actually have 6 cards with us…”
“Okay… I don’t have a card on me.”
He takes my debit card and swipes it. While we are waiting he asks, “Would you like to help dig a fresh water well in Haiti?”
Loaded question: Of course I would like to, but all I have is Worship Leader magazine money today.
“It’s only $12 and you get this wonderful CD from Mercy Me…” He gives me that look.
“Uh… not today,” I tell him.
“Do You have a picture ID?”
I left my wallet in the car.
“I’ll have to go out to the car and get my wallet…”
“Oh, just forget about it!” he says.
So snippy!
He’s irritated…I’m irritated… I hold my tongue and wait.
“Do you have any girls at your house?”
What now, I wonder… but not for long.
“Dr Dobson has this wonderful book coming out in two weeks called ‘Bringing Up Girls.’ If you preorder today, you can have this book right here for free.”
He gestures to a book on display. I don’t look at it. I just want my magazine.
“Would you like to pre-order that today?” he asks, looking at me over the top of his glasses.
“No sir,” I say, hoping this is the end of the seemingly endless pitch.
Finally! Receipt… signature… making tracks for the door.
I am irritated. I think about calling the store manager… but I’m not going to do that. He’s just doing his job… I guess, maybe doing it a little too well.
It’s times like these that I have to remember that a pearl is formed by irritation. When an irritant, such as a grain of sand is introduced into a oyster or clam shell, it begins to irritate the creature within, causing a secretion to fight off the irritation by coating it, layer upon layer, until one day the irritation is no longer seen and all we can see is the beauty of the pearl.
Isn’t it amazing how something so small (like a grain of sand… or an ambitious salesperson) can create such a reaction in us? I hope that I can coat my irritations with enough love… or maybe just restraint in this case, (large forced smile) until all that will be seen is Jesus and not my natural reaction to the irritation.
I love you, Lord. Help me to react at all times the same way that You would.
Bobby
The Worship Dare 