Service

It never ceases to amaze me what people will say to someone on the far end of a telephone or chat screen. They would never say such things in person. At least, I hope not.

A petulant little boy, whatever his true age, wanted to have his way, and so badly, that he wanted the person on the far end of the line to give him access, or to divulge company secrets allowing him to hack his way to free stuff.

Presuming the service person knew how, didn't the kid have a clue that these conversations were recorded? Apparently not. He just wanted what he wanted when he wanted it, and he wasn't above throwing a child's tantrum if he thought it would get his way (I'm sure it has worked for him in the past).

I won't embarrass the boy by naming him. Surely you've met people like him: thinking they are all grown up, when all they've grown is a semi-adult body and a full-grown spoiled-brat attitude, the kind that looks bad on a five-year-old. What makes it worse is their choice of language. It wasn't the kind that would make a sailor blush; it wasn't that original. It was that low, though.

But it all comes down to the job description: I'm here to serve. If my customer is a boor, it does me no good to sink to their level, or to take offense, or, especially, to get mad. I've lost when that happens. No matter what, I can no longer serve this client when I let my anger rule.

And, as I contemplated what I was going to write on my way home, I was doubly reminded of this.

God has set us here to be a reflection of His glory. Moses looked on the face of the Lord, and his own face shone with reflected glory for a time afterwards. That is what we need to do: reflect the glory. We cannot do this while angry.

Look, even if you don't believe in this God person, you need to understand this. If you want to accomplish something good, you won't get very far if you reflect all the bad in the world. You have to show the best of the best, whatever you hold up as that example.

For me, however badly I accomplish it, I am bound to show mercy and grace, for such was meted to me. And the reason? For those I show it to, to ask: "Why?"

Jesus' task was to live a perfect life, to show it could be done, to die the sacrificial death, to pay for our sin debt and break the power of sin in our lives, and to rise again, to prove he wasn't just blowing smoke. I'll talk another time about the validity of all that. For now, please believe I'm convinced, and I'm not some ignorant hillbilly who can't even tie his own shoes. My faith is as that of Thomas', I have doubts; I need to be shown.

Anger doesn't serve.

Save anger for true injustice, not those who need your service. Serve those in need, if only by a soft voice in answer to their loud, brash, ugly comments. They are only words. Your spirit is stronger than that.

Serve.

Yes you can.