I was sitting in my car on Thursday afternoon at about 2:30 when I was approached by my close friend and fellow bus driver, Ed. Ed seemed very distressed and uncomfortable. He had accepted Christ as his personal Savior a couple of years ago. Christ has turned his life around and he is living for God now. We love kidding around together and making each other laugh.
As I lowered my window Ed began talking to me about my witness, or lack of witness, I should say. He explained to me, very nervously, that my co-workers were labeling Michelle and me as “grumblers and complainers.” He further explained we are thought of as “pot stirrers!” I told Ed that is embarrassing to hear because that is the last thing we want to be thought of as.
You see sometimes God will send a close trusted friend as a messenger to tell you the truth about yourself if you have been exhibiting unfavorable behaviors, or sins, as a Christian. Those are the kind of friends we need. Those are lifelong friends. Even though it may be hard to hear it certainly must be taken to heart and accepted in love from your friend. That friend did not want to be the one to tell me, but he was guided by the Holy Spirit to come to me. My personal witness to others was damaged by my actions and I needed to get back in line with the Word of God.
I asked Ed what I should do, and he told me to seek God’s word and follow it. He showed me this verse on his phone. Philippians 2:14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
As the Holy Spirit began convicting my heart, I was reminded that this was who we have been described as by our co-workers. OUCH! That conviction hit me and Michelle hard as I explained my conversation with my friend Ed to my wife when I arrived home. She cried for a good 10 minutes, and I cried some too. We were completely embarrassed by our actions, and it deeply hurt to be known as grumblers and complainers. This was not the first time we have worn that label.
Since that day we have prayed and asked God to cleanse our hearts of the sin of grumbling and complaining. We will be a work in progress as God refreshes our minds and hearts to live according to His Word. We have publicly apologized to our co-workers for our actions and words. We have been forgiven and the time is now to begin living a life more in line with His Word.
Jim Everett
Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.
