Getting fish and chips on Good Friday is like going Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve. There’s a good chance that there will be long line-ups and you will have to wait. If you can’t deal with it, then it’s probably in your best interest that you select a different food of choice or day to shop.
Last Friday was Good Friday. Like many others, we wanted fish and chips so we placed our order over the phone. It was 4pm and our pick-up time was 6pm. So just before 6, Drew and I headed to the restaurant to pick-up our order. Upon arriving, we noticed a bunch of people waiting for their order outside (not-surprised) and upon entering the restaurant, we were welcomed by even more people. Unfortunately, the restaurant was backed up and people who were there to pick-up their order at 5pm were just getting their order at 6pm.
As Drew and I waited patiently for our order, I couldn’t help but observe the behaviour and attitudes of the others who were waiting. Some people showed obvious signs of frustration while others waited calmly. The cooks and the staff were doing the very best that they could. Unfortunately, they were behind….really behind (which was out of their norm). There were two obvious options: you could wait for your order OR you could cancel your order. (Interestingly enough, the number of customers who chose to wait for their order far outnumbered those who cancelled their order despite the wait time.) There was one gentlemen in particular who was uber frustrated and made his frustrations known. While his frustration was certainly understandable, his vocal opinion did nothing but increase the tension.
Here’s where it’s funny. Not in the haha type of way but more so in the a-ha type of way.
The people that were in the restaurant that day were mostly if not all Christian (Fish and Chips on Good Friday–>very likely Christian of some sort). If there were any day and moment to embody and live out the teachings of Christ, this would be it. This is what being a Christian is about…being more like Christ-not just on the days when the sun is shining and everything is “perfect” but more so on the days that test your patience, get under your skin, and make you want to scream. Being Christ-like is about transforming obstacles into opportunities to be loving, kind, and considerate (even if it’s not being reciprocated). The Golden Rule states: treat others the way you want to be treated NOT treat others the way they treat you. God created us to “rise” to the occasion…all occasions.
Every single person in that restaurant that day had a choice just as you and I have a choice each day. Who do we choose to be in the moments when things don’t go the way we planned or think they should? Who do we choose to be in the face of inconveniences, unfair situations, and perceived obstacles?
Ladies and Gents, There are plenty of opportunities to get annoyed, frustrated, angry, etc. in life. And at the same time, there are plenty of opportunities to be grateful, kind, compassionate and happy. I used to think that our actions reveal what we truly believe. And while this is true, this is only partially true. The truth is,
You can attend as many workshops, listen to as many talks, read as many books, go to church as many times as you want but when it comes down to it, LIFE, your life and my life happens in the NOW. Learning aside, life is about BEING…who we are being in any given moment. My hope is that regardless of the situation or the circumstance, the Rockstar within you and I will rise to the occasion and leave people and places BETTER (vs. bitter) than when we arrived. You and I are that powerful.
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