Living Epistles

“We were going through the drive-thru at our favorite fast-food place recently, gave our selection, and the voice on the speaker said, ‘Would you like to add (this or that) to your order?’ I said, ‘No, but thank you for asking.’ Just then the manager came on, saying, ‘That’s the nicest thing we’ve heard all day. There is no charge for your food!’”

We had been talking about having the peace of God reflected in our lives at the Bible study last night, and Bob, our leader, gave this illustration. It had been prompted by something he recalled earlier. He had been at a corporate meeting with other store managers where one of the participants, a high-strung lady with a lot of energy remarked, “Well, when I get too stressed, I just call Bob! His calm voice assures me everything will be okay!” While he did a double-take, she went on, “It’s just like he reaches out and lays hands on me over the phone!”

That’s when Bob’s wife said “Tell them what happened last night!” about the restaurant incident. As part of our lesson on living in the Kingdom during our temporary stay in this world, we were focusing on I Peter 2:12, which says, “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” People do watch us!

I shared about the day we were going through a McDonald’s drive-thru getting breakfast since our power was out at home, and the cashier told us the lady in the car in front of us had paid for our food! I couldn’t figure out why, but later I thought maybe the tag on our front bumper, which would have been visible to her, had struck a chord. It reads, “GOD IS GREATER THAN ALL MY PROBLEMS.” (Either that or we looked like storm victims!)

An elderly lady at the meeting raised her hand and said, "I heard a nice compliment on someone the other day." She went on to say that a lady who gets her hair done at the same beauty shop she uses and (who is part of the family who owns the store where my husband has a part time job), said, "We have the nicest man who works for us. His name is Howard Summers, and he is probably the nicest man we've ever had work there."

"Oh, I know him," our friend replied. "He goes to our Bible study!", to which the lady responded, "He is a minister, you know."

That was such a blessing to hear that, because I know my husband wonders at times if his witness is having any effect at all. But he is part of the salt and light we are called to be in this world.

I may not have the calm, deliberate voice of our friend, Bob, who said he was working on consciously reflecting the principles of the Kingdom, or the charisma of my husband, but I can still think before I speak. As one person pointed out last night, David prayed in Psalms 141:3 that the Lord would put a guard over his mouth and keep the door of his lips. My prayer, exactly!