Forgiveness is a powerful and wonderful thing. God has forgiven us and we must forgive others if we are to continue to have peace in our hearts. This story relates the power of forgiveness, and how it affected me.
Sunday while I was at work, we were having a pretty quiet day, not alot of business and we were close to closing and getting ready to go home. I had a customer whom I had waited on earlier come back and complain that the pretzel tasted burned. I explained they were all like that it is normal, yet she still wanted me to give her another one. When I was hesitant to do so she shouted then give me my money back, I told her I could not. Well I did give her another pretzel and told her I would not do it again. She then proceeded to leave and shout to me and call me a name that I will not repeat as it contains profanity. I told her God bless you, she turned and said "what you say to me" and I repeated God bless you. She left. I then waited on a girl who was behind her, I apologized to her and then proceeded to get her order. She ordered an icee and I turned to look at the machine to see if any were in defrost mode, and asked her what flavor. Finished with her and then moved on to the mother with two children who were behind her. I apologized to her also. She stated that was ok, and that everyone should have to work with the public. She left and we continued on. Another woman came up and was speaking to my coworker and I overheard her ask for our manager. I am the manager when I am there and I stepped out and it was the mother of the woman who called me the name. The smaller girl had told her that I called the other one a racial term that I will not repeat. I looked her in the eye and said I did not. I don't use that kind of language and never have. I explained that over and over. She told me I should be glad it wasn't her. This continued for quite a while and got to the point that we almost had to call security. I don't know how the girl thought I said that word, and it took me awhile to remember what I had said to her when waiting on her. All I could figure out is she thought I said something other than "flavor". They finally left and even turned around to listen when we were waiting on another customer to see if I was going to talk about them. I did not. I never lost my temper, but it caused much unrest for me and my co-worker. She was afraid they were going to beat me up.
I left work and went to a crusade and during the music, realized I must lay the whole thing at the foot of the cross. I did, but still had unrest in my heart. I had gotten offended and if we are dead in Christ, we DON'T get offended. Then the Lord told me to forgive them, it was hard at first, but then I did and my peace came back and then I also prayed for their salvation. I felt wonderful after that and was able to listen to the rest of the service. I don't know what is going to happen in their lives, but I know that God will get the glory in it. I learned through this and I must remember the lesson. It also changes the way I will deal with customers like that. Young adults for the most part do not respect people anymore. I see it every day. It is refreshing when I do see young children being respectful to older adults and to people serving them.
The lesson I learned is to try the best you can, and that forgiveness will help you to forget a wrong and go on in life to help others in that situation and to be able to be an example for the younger generation. They surely need it.