I was at the airport one day and got my shoes shined. I normally tip 20%, but I tipped this guy 100% as I could see myself in the mirror finish he put on my shoes. They literally looked better than they did the day I bought them and I was beaming at the superb shine he was able to obtain. I walked around the corner to the airport security line which was no more than twenty yards away and I was patiently standing in line when a big oaf of a woman, who was obviously in a hurry, rudely barged her way through the security line and stomped right on my foot in the process. Not only did it hurt when her “hoof” landed on my foot, but I looked down and my shiny shoe was marred, adding insult to injury.
Now to the test; honestly, I must admit that I felt like berating her, stomping on her foot so she could feel commensurate pain, smacking her upside the head, and repeatedly poking her in the eye with my finger, but instead I calmly smiled at her, (not easy when grimacing), and got out of the security line and walked back over to the shoe shine guy and without saying a word pointed down at my ruined shoeshine.
When I told him what happened through clenched teeth, he smiled a big million-dollar smile with a front tooth made of 18 carat gold and he laughed so loudly that he attracted the attention of everyone within fifty feet. He told me to hop back in the chair and in less than a minute the marred surface was as shiny as it was before; no harm – no foul. He refused to take any more money, even when I tried my utmost to shove a five-dollar bill in his hand. He told me that I’d made his day and he would be smiling all day because of me. He wished me a nice flight as he continued to laugh. I could still hear him laughing as I rounded the corner heading to the security line yet again. I will be his customer for life.
I was thinking about this today, and it reminded me of how similar it is to my everyday life. I start my week on Sundays by going to church, (yes I consider Sunday to be the first day of my week). Going to church and then lounging around the house and resting for the balance of the day refreshes me and really prepares me for the upcoming week. I then start Monday (and every day) by studying the Bible and writing Words for the Day. I am invigorated by this and ready to fight the dragon and all of his demons with my bare hands as I start out of the chute on Monday morning. My countenance is as shiny as my shoes after my master shoe shine maestro, “gold-fanger”, has applied one of his infamous spit shines.
Unfortunately, as the day wears on and I encounter problem after problem, thrown at me seemingly by every last demon out of hell, my shiny countenance is replaced by a dark foreboding spirit that is reminiscent of a marred shoe. Will I lose my cool? Will I berate, smack someone, or otherwise go bonkers? This is the point that many of us routinely reach.
Just like my shoe-shining friend restored the shine to my shoe, God can restore the shine to my life, if I will patiently seek Him out and ask for his help. Yes, that means that I pray often throughout the day. No problem is too great for the Lord. Something that may be mind-boggling, frustrating, perplexing, and downright makes you want to scream obscenities at a complete stranger, can effortlessly be remedied by God and a calming spirit can blanket you in less time than it takes to read this sentence.
I read somewhere the other day, “If you do your best and let God do the rest, not only will you enjoy success, but your life will have a positive impact on others”. What a great statement. It takes “work” to do one’s best, and it takes faith to allow God to do the rest, but aren’t the rewards something to write home about? Seek God and let Him heal the wounds that you suffer hourly, daily, weekly, monthly… whatever . . .
2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord run
to and fro throughout the whole
earth to show Himself strong on
behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
September 7 2016 – Click here to listen