God Moments: Equality

It never fails to amaze me, the ways that God chooses and uses to get our attention, to teach, to correct, to use us.

I was at work this morning, and when my shift ended, I was replaced by the next shift, a woman whom I do not like.  When I don't like someone, I'm not so impolite as to come right out and say that I don't like them.  Self-righteously, I have decided that I shall simply dislike them passively.  By which is meant, I shall not smile, I shall answer them monosyllabically- if I don't pretend not to hear them altogether- I shall roll my eyes behind their backs, and I shall, in general, consider myself to be better than they are.

I'm quite a piece of work, aren't I?

Anyway, this morning, I was folding laundry when my replacement arrived, and I knew immediately who it was, despite being in another room.  She does not lower her voice when she comes in, even though the client is sleeping.  I groaned to myself and rolled my eyes, then I 'girded my loins' and left the laundry room.

I sat down on the couch without saying a word and gave one of those not-smile expressions; you know, the ones where you press your lips into a line so it looks like you might be smiling?  I had my journal and my Bible open on the couch, so I picked them up and started to put them away- then I realized that I still had ten minutes left in my shift and I was darn well going to get paid for them, even though she was already clocked in.

She talked and I decided to pretend I was doing something important.  What I was really doing was working on my current "God Moment".  Ironically- you'll see in a moment- it's about treating everyone equally.

So, I read the last line I'd written a couple of hours earlier, and proceeded to write the next.

This is what I wrote in that moment:

"In God's eyes, we are all the same.  No one is better than anyone else."

I kid you not.  I wrote that and then I did a double-take and realized what a hypocrite I am.

I don't have to like someone to treat them decently.  I don't have to become their bosom friend to show a little kindness.  I don't have to love someone to show them love.

I felt like crying and laughing in that moment.  What I did was take od's gentle correction to heart.  I closed my journal and I engaged.  I smiled.  I participated in the conversation.  I shared something of myself.  And you know what?  The fact that she won't lower her voice still makes me insane, but I don't despise her.  She's not going to be my best friend, but she does have wisdom from experience that she can share with me if I get off my high horse and listen.