Fast Food Order Gone Wrong

When I opened the bag, I was so aggravated to find that my order was wrong. To say that I handled it the wrong way was, well an understatement. “I’m just done”—that’s what I said. Because a few days before it was wrong too—ugh!

I mean when you expect something to be a certain way and it isn’t, that justifies a temper tantrum, right?! NOT! Ever been there?

But instead of choosing love at that moment and extending grace, I decided to call to get it “made right”. Not that we could go back to get a corrected order at that moment, but maybe later. And after not being the most polite, grace extending human being that I should have been at that moment, I had a continued feeling of uneasiness for the next ten minutes. My aggravation had worn off and guilt set in, and the words on the other end of the line were on repeat in my head….”everyone makes mistakes, now let me make it right”. AND.SHE.WAS.SO.RIGHT.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” – Ephesians 4:29

How often do I make mistakes—EVERYDAY—one being the way that I just handled that whole situation. So, I picked up the phone, called back and apologized for the not so friendly way that I handled that, and thankfully, she accepted my apology.

Now, I’m not saying that if you are wronged {even if it’s just a fast food order} that you should just overlook it and not bring it up, but that’s not what happened here, I could have still called, but handled it in a totally different way. I mean who am I to make someone else feel less than or to ruin her night? Do I make mistakes? Absolutely! And I pray that others extend grace to me when I do—but one thing that I DO KNOW is that God will always extend that grace—even if others don’t. Did she know that? Was I showing her who He was through my actions?

Even when we know that God is extending grace to us when others don’t, we can still let a mistake or conversation get to us. And how am I choosing love if I choose to react in a not so friendly way to begin with, then allow pride to get in the way of not choosing love again?

We all make mistakes—we are human. And like she said, “now let me make it right”. I had to swallow my pride, accept humility and call her back to make it right. And though that was a conversation that wasn’t exactly mean, just not the way that I wish I could say that I handled it—not all mistakes that we make are as simple to take back. But the biggest step we can take is apologizing.

Sometimes that’s all someone wants to hear, those three words can make the biggest difference, moments, days—even years later.

KNOW THIS: God knows we are not going to live “perfect” in this world. He knows our flesh is going to react in ways that are completely displeasing to Him. He knows the devil is there with his pitchfork cheering us on in every circumstance, to react in that displeasing way. He knows every choice we will make in our lifetime—AND HE LOVES US ANYWAY. All we have to do is ask Him to forgive us—go to Him with a true repenting heart—and there He is, standing with open arms, saying “I forgive you”.

So even when times get tough on this earth—because they will. Those moments when we let our reactions get the best of us—even when we do apologize and the recipient of that apology isn’t exactly extending the grace we thought they may—apologize anyway.

When you feel it, when you know that you did wrong to someone, swallow that pride and humble yourself and say “I am sorry”. And know that whichever way that person chooses to respond, even if they are reluctant, that God isn’t. Go to Him, find rest in Him, ask Him to forgive you—His grace will pour over you and you will be forgiven.

Lord, I pray that each person reading this can take something away from it. While simple moments like a fast food order gone wrong are so small compared to big problems in this world, please help us see that it starts with us in our everyday moments—that our reactions to even the smallest problem may be the only example someone sees of You that day. And, if we expect the world to change in big ways, we have to show love in the small ways. Please help us to choose love, which in turn may help others choose it themselves— help us to be your hands and feet. I pray that you give us wisdom and guidance. Thank you for your continued mercy and grace in our lives. In Jesus’ Name, amen.