Me Behaving Badly
I can always spot a mile away when a co-worker or company executive is behaving badly. But it’s harder for me to be honest when I’m behaving badly. Which is ironic, when you stop and count how often I behave badly.
I know the “right” way to act. I read scripture with Jesus’ example printed in red. I listen (more often than not) when the pastor is describing God’s expectations. I understand what the author means when I read those varied and sundried books on Christian leadership at work. I know the right way to act. But when push comes to shove, you can bet the month’s rent that my behavior won’t match those examples.
I offer as illustration a recent example that occurred when a co-worker informed me than another colleague was leaving the company.
Co-worker: “Did you hear that Suzy So-and-so left?” (The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Her real name is Betty.)
Me: “Oh, thank goodness!”
Co-worker: (surprised and taken aback by the force of my response): “Why do you say that?”
Me: “That woman was an idiot! I never met a bigger idiot! “She’s the curator of the Idiot Hall of Fame! She won an Oscar for best performance by an idiot! Google ‘idiot’ and she has over a million hits!”
Well, you get the idea.
I wish I could tell you I was exaggerating here, but I’m mortified to say that might be an transcript of the conversation. (Now there’s a scary thought – how would our conversations be different if the people we were talking about could read a transcript of what we said about them. After all, God hears everything I say. Meditate on that for awhile, Mr. “Can’t-Say-Anything-Nice-About-Others” Man!)
Because I know I am capable of such misbehaving, what do I do? First, I spend a lot of time asking God for forgiveness and claiming His grace. I don’t know how full God’s bucket of grace is, but I do know that I have claimed more than the average person’s share.
Second, I spend time with people who encourage me to live right and think more highly of others than I do myself. They’re wonderful people who are truly spirit-filled and kind and often make me feel like a schmuck, because I’m not. But after a while, they do rub off on me. (The problem is that I can only take them in small increments, lest I have some sort of saccharin reaction. But I think I’m building up a tolerance.)
The best way to monitor my bad behavior? Be with someone who is practically incapable of being mean-spirited. In return, I’m sure my friends get lots of valuable things from me, too. Like how to describe someone as an idiot in a million different ways.
What do you do when you find yourself behaving in ways that fail to honor God?
I know the “right” way to act. I read scripture with Jesus’ example printed in red. I listen (more often than not) when the pastor is describing God’s expectations. I understand what the author means when I read those varied and sundried books on Christian leadership at work. I know the right way to act. But when push comes to shove, you can bet the month’s rent that my behavior won’t match those examples.
I offer as illustration a recent example that occurred when a co-worker informed me than another colleague was leaving the company.
Co-worker: “Did you hear that Suzy So-and-so left?” (The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Her real name is Betty.)
Me: “Oh, thank goodness!”
Co-worker: (surprised and taken aback by the force of my response): “Why do you say that?”
Me: “That woman was an idiot! I never met a bigger idiot! “She’s the curator of the Idiot Hall of Fame! She won an Oscar for best performance by an idiot! Google ‘idiot’ and she has over a million hits!”
Well, you get the idea.
I wish I could tell you I was exaggerating here, but I’m mortified to say that might be an transcript of the conversation. (Now there’s a scary thought – how would our conversations be different if the people we were talking about could read a transcript of what we said about them. After all, God hears everything I say. Meditate on that for awhile, Mr. “Can’t-Say-Anything-Nice-About-Others” Man!)
Because I know I am capable of such misbehaving, what do I do? First, I spend a lot of time asking God for forgiveness and claiming His grace. I don’t know how full God’s bucket of grace is, but I do know that I have claimed more than the average person’s share.
Second, I spend time with people who encourage me to live right and think more highly of others than I do myself. They’re wonderful people who are truly spirit-filled and kind and often make me feel like a schmuck, because I’m not. But after a while, they do rub off on me. (The problem is that I can only take them in small increments, lest I have some sort of saccharin reaction. But I think I’m building up a tolerance.)
The best way to monitor my bad behavior? Be with someone who is practically incapable of being mean-spirited. In return, I’m sure my friends get lots of valuable things from me, too. Like how to describe someone as an idiot in a million different ways.
What do you do when you find yourself behaving in ways that fail to honor God?
posted by Tom Petersen at 7:23 AM
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