Oct
19
2018
Lack Of Grace
Posted in Repentance 4 Comments
We went out to dinner for our anniversary.
We always try to go to a restaurant that we have never been before.
Sometimes, we fall back on our favorite places.
This year, we decided to try something new.
We went to the movies before our dinner.
We arrived at the restaurant a bit earlier than our reservations.
We were seated right away.
The restaurant was getting quite busy.
The hustle and bustle around us astounded me.
It seemed like there were servers for appetizers and other servers for salads.
Our server told us that she would probably have help, so both of them would serve us.
We ordered something before our meal; she said she would come back for the rest of our order.
The bread came out and was placed between us.
We heard about the fish of the day.
We heard about the special that evening.
We made our selections.
My husband ordered a large salad, while I ordered a side salad.
Would you like the salads to come to the table before your meal? The server asked us.
Yes, we would, my husband answered.
The server went off; I only saw her from a distance the rest of the evening.
That was the last time she came to our table.
We never saw the other server that was supposed to help her.
Other people brought my husband’s salad to him.
My salad never came.
My husband motioned to someone and asked them to bring my salad.
After a long wait, the salad came but it was the wrong one.
Another server came to take the wrong salad away.
I asked them to bring me the same salad that my husband had already finished.
After another long wait, our meals came, though my salad was never brought to the table.
When they removed my husband’s salad plate, they took his knife and fork as well.
His meal came but he had no utensils so he could eat his meal.
I caught the eye of another server and asked them to bring my husband a knife and fork.
Without missing a beat, that server asked if we wanted to speak to the manager.
You have to understand that this is not something we routinely do.
Usually, there is something redeemable about a situation.
I was finding it difficult to find anything redeemable about this meal.
My husband agreed to speak to the manager.
The manager came to the table and wanted to hear my husband’s concerns.
My husband is a business man.
He is able to get to the point quickly.
He laid out the entire evening from the moment we sat down until the manager came to us.
He asked about our server and my husband told him that she never returned to our table.
The manager was gracious and extremely apologetic.
I will take care of you for the rest of the evening, sir, the manager assured my husband.
True to his word, he did.
When the bill was brought to the table, the manager came as well.
He had taken care of the cost of the dinner.
There was only a slight charge for one item my husband ordered.
My husband was surprised.
My husband handled the situation far better than I was handling it on the inside.
The manager gave my husband his card and told him to come back so he could make it right.
Email me personally before you return and I will make sure your dinner is wonderful, he said.
My husband thanked him.
We got up to leave the restaurant.
We walked around a bit after dinner, looking at shops and other restaurants.
It was not until we got in the car, my husband talked about the evening.
We should go back there again, my husband said as he put on his seat belt.
I don’t think so, I answered, still annoyed about the evening.
A lot went wrong tonight, but the manger tried to make it right, my husband continued.
He wants a chance to really make it right, my husband added.
My heart was not in a good place.
I had a million reasons why I did not want to go back to the restaurant.
It was our anniversary, after all.
However, no one at the restaurant knew that it was a special occasion.
I want to email the manager and try that restaurant again.
Everyone makes mistakes.
The manager is asking for a chance to make it right.
We need to give him that chance.
I had nothing to say.
My husband drove home; quiet music played in the background.
My husband’s heart was full of grace towards the manager.
My heart was hard towards him.
My lack of a gracious response surprised me.
I could chalk it up and say, I’m only human.
However, the manager is only human.
The servers are only human.
Was there one standard for me and another standard for them?
Did they not deserve a second chance just because they made so many mistakes the first time?
Oh how grateful I am that God does not handle me the way I handled the servers and manager.
How thankful I am that God does not see my sin or my mistakes, but rather He sees His Son.
I am no better than anyone I came in contact with at the restaurant.
I make mistakes and sometimes those mistakes hurt others.
My husband showed more grace than I did.
My husband extended grace when annoyance would have been easier.
The enemy of our souls is an accuser.
I heard his accusations in my heart and mind.
You write Whispers about God every day and you teach Bible study.
Some writer and teacher you are; you cannot even extend the grace you talk about.
As quick as those accusations came, they were dismissed.
They were not only dismissed, they were removed as far as the East is from the West.
My Lord Jesus died in my place and took the sin of my hard heart on Himself.
The Holy Spirit convicted me of my attitude and reminded me of God’s amazing grace.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…(Romans 8:1)
God used my husband to remind me of His grace.
God, in His tender mercy, has given me many second chances.
How can I do less?
I know that we will be going back to that restaurant in the near future.
It is right that we do.
I was just talking to someone at church about” iron sharpening iron”, how we need to be real with each other about our sin.struggle. Thanks for sharing the process of repentance. Someone has said to look once at your sin (acknowledge it) but look 10 times at Christ so as not to despair
Amen, Paula. God uses His Word, His Spirit, and others to convict us of our sin and our hard heart. We Christians need to be transparent so that the watching world grasps the meaning of grace and forgiveness. Blessings.
Gina
Thank you for sharing this. I too sometimes feel the same way you did but I struggle with letting it go and letting God take it.
Mary,
It’s hard to admit when we fall short and sin in our heart. Praise God that He forgives us and gives us second chances, and third chances and…when we come to Him and confess. What a tender God we serve.
Blessings,
Gina