i'm sorry

I am finding myself saying these words more and more often.

Yesterday I went to a coffee shop in the city. It has free wifi and $1 cappuccinos. I pulled up and there was a giant septic semi truck sucking poo through a large pipe very loosely connected to a septic tank. I watched the pipe quiver and shake under it’s strenuous load and discerned that I should probably find another place to park (said pipe was spanning the motorcycle parking spots). So I pulled up in front of an adjacent shop. Before I even took my helmet off the owner came out telling me that if I wasn’t going to his shop I HAD to move. Clearly he had been through this routine before and the last remnant of his patience had been taken by the person before me.

I didn’t really know where else to go, and although I wasn’t in the least upset, I made a few sarcastic comments and told him to just let me park there- it would be fine. He wasn’t impressed. The sides of his mustache jumped as he pursed his lips and proceeded to make it very clear that I must move. I surrendered and moved my bike.

Paul calls us the “aroma of Christ,” saying that we “spread the fragrance of knowledge of him everywhere.” I am afraid to that shop owner I spread the fragrance of the poo truck chugging away next to me. As I walked away I realized that I had responded horribly and returned to apologize.

Here if you don’t speak up you won’t be heard. In many ways it is everyone for himself. There are so many people wanting so many things at the same time that unless you push (usually literally) you will never get on the bus, or you will never get you electricity bill paid, or you will be cheated out of a lot of money. I am not justifying my actions, but rather I am trying to figure out what it means to be “the aroma of christ” here.

Right now my internet company is trying to charge me nearly an extra $200 because of some mistakes they made on their end. My flat owner is holding back $40 from my deposit I gave him (20%). The man that serviced my motorcycle disconnected the headlight switch and charged me to fix the started but didn’t fix it. Dozens of people are asking to buy my stuff when I leave each of which wanting a special bargain (all of this is just this weekend). This isn’t abnormal, it is just life. It’s nothing personal- but my question is how do I put on display “the aroma of Christ” in each of these situations. At the risk of over simplifying I think it might be better to be wronged or cheated than to demand what I “deserve.”

Not really sure, just trying to figure out how to glorify Him. Unfortunately much of the time it is trial and error.

voila,



r