So, just now on the way back to the office from running errands on my lunch hour, I stopped through the Starbucks drive-through. I literally hardly ever do this. But I was going right by there and I have been craving this chocolate chip milk like drink I had had in CA at Christmastime and their amazing chocolate graham crackers.
Well, my time was running short and I was in a hurry to get back so as not to be late. I was annoyed with the lady ahead of me in line who had ordered but hadn't moved when the car before her did because she was playing with her phone, so I honked my horn at her. (Obnoxious, I know, I shouldn't have....) She looked at her rear view mirror at me and then back at her phone, though she did pull up to where she should have.
When I got to the window the guy said "actually, the lady in front of you paid for you".
Splat. That was the sound of my pride smacking against the wall. Here I had been obnoxious to her and in turn, she showed me a random act of kindness.
I was so convicted. I'm a Christian. I should be showing people the random acts of kindness instead of being the ticked off hurried person that can't wait a couple more minutes in the Starbucks line. I vowed that I am going to pay it back. The next time I'm in the drive-through for anything (other than the bank!) I'm going to pay for the person behind me.
Because an undeserved random act of kindness, if nothing else, should spur one to pay it forward.
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Wow. Wow. Ouch is right. I admire you for sharing that humbling experience with us. You are so right, God uses those times to put us in our places. I had been noticing not long ago that I was getting angry while driving, always feeling frustrated. So I prayed and asked the Lord to help me control my anger when I was on the road (something by the way, that is new to me). So one evening while on a two way road, and after following a woman doing a good 5 mph below the speed limit, I took my chance and floored it past her. Next thing I knew I was being pulled over by a cop. Yep, got a ticket. my second one....ever! Ever since then I have been tolerant of others, even doing only the speed limit myself. It's not that I'm afraid of another ticket (although I certainly don't want one) but I prayed and God answered. It's MY attitude that got me in trouble, not those around me. My daddy always says, be careful what you pray for. so now whenever I find myself getting upset with the surrounding traffic, I just pray, and thank God for answering my prayer. Humbling lesson.
ReplyDeleteShe probably thought, "Now there's a stressed out person who needs a kind thing done for them today!" Everyone of us has been there, don't worry! Very nice of her!
ReplyDeleteWhen I see kids behaving well in a store or parents being kind to their kids, I give the kids a small treat or the parents an encouraging word. We all need
help and encouragement.