So I spent my morning...3 1/2 hours actually...at Panera working. Yep. Working. I know I could work at home. It's just me. But there's also a TV. And there's a Hills Marathon on (which is what I'm watching right now) so I knew I needed to be away from the tv. Glad I did. I got a lot done! I still have work to do but I figured I'd enjoy the afternoon some...which meant putting together dinner (it has to refrigerate for 4 hours first) and wash dishes and now blog. I should probably vacuum but I'm telling myself no...that it would be better to do it later this evening when it's cooler. And that ultimately means I just have no desire to do it!
Anyway...my plan for the time at Panera this morning was really just to have a good breakfast, a good lunch and get lots of work done. Which I did. But I also overheard a very interesting conversation. You can call it eavesdropping if you want. I tried not to listen. But since there were only two tables in the corner I was in, and I was at one and they were at the other, it was hard not to hear. Plus, this conversation AMAZED me.
Because I heard this conversation, I definitely know more things than I should. And even though I don't know these people, this town isn't that big so I'm going to be very careful with what I share. I'm only going to share the basics. Here came two couples. You could tell they had just come from church by the way they were talking and it seemed as if they were just sharing lunch together. No big deal. Panera was full of those people by then. Then they finished eating and the conversation quickly shifted. You could almost feel the tension...or something...coming from the table. I tried to concentrate on my work. I had plenty to do. Then the woman from couple #1 started speaking and crying. I couldn't hear it all. But the basics of the story were this...woman #1 was struggling financially...and she was responsible for a lot of money for the company of couple #2. And she was "dipping" into the cash. She came clean to this man #2 on Friday but just now having the chance to sit down with him.
OK. Now even though I couldn't hear it all and it was really none of my business, my first thought was "are you kidding me?" I instantly passed judgement. Of course, I know better but I still did. But what man #2 did was AMAZING! He talked to her...shared scripture with her...told her how even though this timing sucked for all of them personally, this was God's timing. And as he prayed over the weekend, he really wanted this to be a God thing. I missed a lot of the conversation...I really wasn't trying to hear everything. But I heard woman #1 talk about how she wasted her whole life in a catholic church and just recently started attending church with couple #2. And how when she read the scriptures that man #2 had given her over the weekend, she felt so much relief. Man #2 continued to talk about how it wasn't his job to judge her. And how he wanted to show her the same grace and mercy that God shows him and his wife everyday. Wife #2 spoke some too saying the same things. She also pointed out that how can she look like a Christian on the outside if she wasn't living it on the inside. She said she had to live her life from the inside out. WOW!!!
I know...I wasn't supposed to be listening. But I was amazed by the grace these people were showing this woman. I'm still amazed. It's all I've been thinking about it. And it made me thinking about my own life and the grace and mercy I show others...or don't show others. It's not my place to judge others. And people make mistakes. I make PLENTY!!! And people are going to do wrong by us. Just like I have done wrong by others. If I'm living my life from the inside out, I'd be showing these people grace and mercy...just as God continues to show it to me. Hmmm...makes me think about how I've reacted to things. How I've let things affect me. And it makes me think about the changes I need to make so that I can show other the grace and mercy they deserve and that God is asking me to show them. I know that won't be easy but if this man can do it over something that is a pretty big deal, why can't I?
Anyway...my plan for the time at Panera this morning was really just to have a good breakfast, a good lunch and get lots of work done. Which I did. But I also overheard a very interesting conversation. You can call it eavesdropping if you want. I tried not to listen. But since there were only two tables in the corner I was in, and I was at one and they were at the other, it was hard not to hear. Plus, this conversation AMAZED me.
Because I heard this conversation, I definitely know more things than I should. And even though I don't know these people, this town isn't that big so I'm going to be very careful with what I share. I'm only going to share the basics. Here came two couples. You could tell they had just come from church by the way they were talking and it seemed as if they were just sharing lunch together. No big deal. Panera was full of those people by then. Then they finished eating and the conversation quickly shifted. You could almost feel the tension...or something...coming from the table. I tried to concentrate on my work. I had plenty to do. Then the woman from couple #1 started speaking and crying. I couldn't hear it all. But the basics of the story were this...woman #1 was struggling financially...and she was responsible for a lot of money for the company of couple #2. And she was "dipping" into the cash. She came clean to this man #2 on Friday but just now having the chance to sit down with him.
OK. Now even though I couldn't hear it all and it was really none of my business, my first thought was "are you kidding me?" I instantly passed judgement. Of course, I know better but I still did. But what man #2 did was AMAZING! He talked to her...shared scripture with her...told her how even though this timing sucked for all of them personally, this was God's timing. And as he prayed over the weekend, he really wanted this to be a God thing. I missed a lot of the conversation...I really wasn't trying to hear everything. But I heard woman #1 talk about how she wasted her whole life in a catholic church and just recently started attending church with couple #2. And how when she read the scriptures that man #2 had given her over the weekend, she felt so much relief. Man #2 continued to talk about how it wasn't his job to judge her. And how he wanted to show her the same grace and mercy that God shows him and his wife everyday. Wife #2 spoke some too saying the same things. She also pointed out that how can she look like a Christian on the outside if she wasn't living it on the inside. She said she had to live her life from the inside out. WOW!!!
I know...I wasn't supposed to be listening. But I was amazed by the grace these people were showing this woman. I'm still amazed. It's all I've been thinking about it. And it made me thinking about my own life and the grace and mercy I show others...or don't show others. It's not my place to judge others. And people make mistakes. I make PLENTY!!! And people are going to do wrong by us. Just like I have done wrong by others. If I'm living my life from the inside out, I'd be showing these people grace and mercy...just as God continues to show it to me. Hmmm...makes me think about how I've reacted to things. How I've let things affect me. And it makes me think about the changes I need to make so that I can show other the grace and mercy they deserve and that God is asking me to show them. I know that won't be easy but if this man can do it over something that is a pretty big deal, why can't I?
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