Note sull'episodio
Wednesday
Even though you work from home, you are still required to be in the office two or three days a week. You understand that face-to-face interaction with coworkers and colleagues is necessary to create a healthy work culture. As you are getting ready, your mind goes back to that mean and unkind email your coworker sent to you on Monday. “Well, at least I did not respond in kind,” you think to yourself.
Even though your coworker responded to your email with a short “Got it,” you have no idea what they thought of your communication.
Walking to your car, you have a sense of uneasiness about seeing this person face-to-face. You sigh to yourself, “I hope that this person is not in the office today.”
As you drive through the traffic, you reflect on how you both looked at the same situation, interpreted it differently, and reached different conclusions. When you pull into the parking lot, you see the person as they are pulling in. You are tempted to act as if you do not see them, but you pray a quick Nehemiah prayer (Neh. 2:4). You wave, and the person nods their head.
As you walk into the building, you continue to pray in your heart and mind, “God help me. Give me grace to be a good listener, not to be defensive. May I say what needs to be said in kindness and wisdom, and in grace and in truth. Enable me to mix the ingredient of love in all my interactions today. In the strong name of Jesus. Amen.”
Your meeting with your coworker went better than you expected. Your colleague thanked you for your kind email response and apologized for sending the mean email.
Love never fails (1 Cor. 13:8a, NASB)
Reflection:
- How does your memory of the hurtful things said to you by a friend or colleague shape your response to love?
- Have you engaged in theological and biblical reflection on the experience, trying to remember redemptively, not excusing, but at least trying to understand why the person was so cross?