Anger and Tea Bags! It’s raining curses!

We betray and show our true selves too often.  Christians are indeed like Tea Bags.  You put them in hot water and the real flavor comes out.  Unfortunately, I can’t say that I always do the right thing when I show my true colors.  I’ve made a bad habit of doing this as of late and it’s been enlightening and sent me back to the word of God countless times to see if I am living the life that I say and want to be living.

Let me explain.

Yesterday, while waiting for my wife to finish up with work at Sears Portrait Studio at the Sears Store, she recieved a call from the Sears store manager who told her that I had to leave, that I might “creep out the customers” by hanging out at the portrait studio too often and that it was unprofessional.  I left, but I stewed about it afterwards.  Why?  Because the day before when I was waiting quitely reading a magazine this same store manager was yelling across the store with one of the male employees at the portrait studio about when they could go out and eat and what hotel he was staying at.  He’s apparently from another district and sent to help out during the holidays.  Apparently, they also are both married… to different people.  I thought that was unprofessional.  My wife is heading into her ninth month of pregnancy and we are down to one car.  The portrait studio closes at eight, the Sears store closes at nine.  I have every right to wait for my wife quietly sitting in a waiting chair, at least up until the store closes.  That’s the way I see it.  This kind of hypocrisy bothers me, makes me livid, and challenges me continually in my own faith.

Now, this is where it gets tricky.  In looking at the word of God honestly and applying it to my life, do I really have a right to be upset?  Probably, but if I decide to be belligerent about it and cause a scene in the middle of Sears, or deliberately mention names of these people online so that their reputations are ruined with every google of their names by potential employers, would I still be in the right?  I am sure there is a legal way I could fight this particular issue too and maybe payoff some debt, but is it Christ-like to do this?

The answer is “no”.  It’s a resounding “NO”.  Why?  As Christians I think too often we take that line from scripture that says “Vengence is mine sayeth the LORD” and interpret it to say

“Vengence is mine sayeth the LORD, but I am just His chosen instrument!”

God says this about His chosen people.  “I will bless those who bless you, and those who curse you I will curse.”  It also says “pray for those who do all kinds of evil to you, for in doing so it will be like pouring burning coals upon their heads” (paraphrased by me)

If we truly love our enemies and those who seek out ways to hurt us, then we are exemplifying Christ and becoming more Christ-like through gentleness and self-control.  I think those are fruits of the Spirit too, eh?  Paul goes on to say (albiet slightly out of context) that “… for in doing so you will be a good witness of Jesus Christ”  and maybe through this good witness this manager could come to know Jesus Christ.

Now it would be right to talk to this manager at Sears and tell her in a gentle way that she is being a hypocrite and that I am waiting for my wife. Other than that, what is my response, and what should it be?

Pray for her.  Pray for God’s mercy to be on her when he chooses to enact the same “curses” that she poured out on both my wife and myself as per the promise made to God’s people.

PS. You can bless me now and reap the blessing of God in your life by buying me a coffee at the link below! (just kidding, but it kind of makes you think about your interactions with people in a different way when you see it as a way of blessing or cursing rather than just spontaneous interaction with other people).