Losing it Happens - Day 42 Month 2 Week 6 Day 7

“Losing It” Happens

Moses knew God had a plan to let His people go, and he knew that Pharaoh’s heart would be hard. God told Moses He would bring one more plague and said, “When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely.” Up until now, Moses had told Pharaoh that the people needed to go into the wilderness to worship God, but now Pharaoh would drive them out completely. At the end of this final exchange with Pharaoh, the conversation was clearly heated, and Moses left Pharaoh in “hot anger.”

I find this encouraging. Even when you are doing what God is asking you to do, even Godly people can lose it. Moses would not see Pharaoh again, and Pharaoh knew exactly who Moses was representing.

I’ve lost it before. I know; to think calm, cool, collected Steve would lose it is hard to believe. Some of you know me better than that, but for the most part, it’s under control. For the past three years, I’ve been working at a hardware store. During the winter, salt from shoes and boots creates a real mess on the store floors, and a mop with bucket are constantly out. One day, I had been mopping throughout the day, and the salt just kept coming. At my age, my brain still works great, but my joints and muscles… that’s a different story. Whether my brain works great is also up for debate, but that is another blog post.  By the end of the day, my right elbow was starting to hurt, and I was quite fatigued from the constant mopping. The store manager was busy talking with customers and didn’t realize I had been mopping all day. Twenty minutes before closing, he called down to the desk and said he wanted the entire store mopped before I left. One of my wise coworkers saw the look on my face and said, “Choose your battles, Steve!” It was too late. I used the last bit of energy I had to mop the store in about ten minutes, and as I walked past the manager’s office on the way out, I lost it on him. I walked out the door, got in my car, and went home.

When I arrived home, Syl saw the determined look on my face and asked what was wrong. I said one thing: “I’ve got to call my boss.” I called him as soon as I got home, apologized, and told him it was inappropriate to react that way in front of others and that I had overreacted. He said it was okay and admitted he hadn’t realized I’d been mopping all day. It turns out my coworkers had filled him in. You see, my boss knows I represent God, through Jesus.

There is a difference between these two stories. Pharaoh regards himself as more powerful than God. Moses is representing God and continues to be used by God to speak to Pharaoh for the benefit of people who are being mistreated. In my story, my anger is selfish because I feel mistreated. It’s critical that I mend the fence immediately. Letting things go unresolved limits my ability to affect others positively. Not only does my boss see my reaction, but all my coworkers do as well. You can be sure they are watching to see how it will end. Resolution is necessary to continue representing Jesus well.

In our Matthew reading, Jesus illustrates the best way to respond to mistreatment. When one of His disciples pulls out a sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest’s servant, Jesus says, “Put your sword back in its place.” Jesus surrendered peacefully, saying, “How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”

I also know the plan. My plan is a little more direct: “Love your neighbour.” My boss and coworkers are my neighbours. To continue living out the plan, I had to make things right, and make them right quickly. Remember, when you lose it, make it right quickly. That way, God can use you far more effectively when things are right between you and your neighbour.

Have a great day,
Steve 

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