One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean he was really friendly. So, I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.' He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.
It is our issue: when we choose to have a bad day we only have ourselves to blame. Last Friday, I had one of those days. I got up an hour early for work and didn't know it until I was leaving the house. I had many things to take to work for an employee luncheon that I was helping organize (Remember our elevator is still broken so everything had to be carried up 44 stairs; I had many I think I ended up walking 264 steps that day while always carrying extra pounds; besides my own). I left the bake beans I prepared for lunch at home; 20 minutes from work. I was tested by a few joy suckers. My car seat heater short circuited and burned a hole in my seat! I was leaving for Dallas for a wedding shower for my brother but since my car was 900 miles away from the warranty expiring, I had to drive to Tulsa first to take my car into the dealership to get it repaired; which added 90 minutes to my four hour drive. Finally, after leaving the dealership and maneuvering through rush hour and construction for 30 minutes; I got a call saying I did not leave the key to my car at the dealership! So, back I went through construction and rush hour to return to the dealership with my key! Now let's add two hours to my trip! That day tested my patience but I kept my joy! I was proud of myself because I do not always manage to do that! However, I could have let all my joy get sucked out of me and spread garbage out to everyone around me, but I didn't. I want to do that less and be a blessing more. I want to succeed at this goal of showing Jesus to others and to minister where I can. I can only do this if I protect my joy.
What about you? Are you a joy giver? Or joy sucker? Do you respond with kindness when hit with a garbage truck? Or do you take the garbage and spill it out on others? Do you want to be a blessing? If so, then you need to stop letting circumstances, joy suckers, and other people's garbage take over and ruin your day. Decide now, before you hit, how you are going to react!
Be patient with each person, pay attention to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out. Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
1 Thessalonians 5:14b-18
P.S. You do know that I just set myself up to have a bad day and be tested on the words I just wrote! lol
2 comments:
This post is a for sure conviction for me. I work with some people who test my patients and my sanity everyday. I need to work on it more. When someone is a joy sucker I try and remember that I don't know what is going on in their life and maybe I should just pray for them.
Sounds to me like you already had that bad day, so I wouldn't worry about it. : ) Reminds me of the four philosophies of FISH! -- Play, Be There, Make Their Day, and Choose Your Attitude. All these are really rooted in Scripture when you get down to it.
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