Be The Joy
A few months ago, I read an article about a woman who lost her engagement ring at the beach. She was devastated and made a Hail Mary post on social media asking for anyone to return it if they found it. You want to know what happened? A stranger with a medal detector returned it. What's amazing is that he didn't just stumble upon the ring when he was out; he saw the post and went to the beach and looked for it. He looked for three days until he found it. He did it all just to bring some joy to a stranger.
That's the type of extra love and patience we should be having all year long, but especially this time of year. So why don't we? A lot of people fall short for very real reasons: seasonal depression, missing someone they love, or going through a hardship that is taking all their energy. Others may spend so much time trying to have the perfect holiday that they lose sight of what really matters.
Years ago, I showed up at church on Easter Sunday. When I got out of my car a man started screaming at me. Like, actually screaming. I was so shocked, I had no idea what was going on. Later, when I replayed everything in my head I realized that he had mistaken me for a different car that almost hit his - a bit of commotion I vaguely noticed happening in my rearview mirror while I was gathering my things. The reason I remember this story so many years later is because after he yelled at me I watched as he walked across the street and into the same church I was going to.
When I used to think about that man I would think what a hypocrite. Now when I think of him, I think about how love and patience goes both ways. I don’t know what caused him to lack the Easter spirit that day. Maybe, he was having a really hard time. Maybe, that little bit of commotion was his last straw. Maybe, in that moment, he wasn't able to show me kindness but at least I was able to show it to him by not reacting. I didn't yell back. I didn't start a fight. I just let it go.
I can choose to assume that his reaction was his character trait - he’s just a jerk. Or I can choose to assume the best, that he’s more than that one moment and deserves my forgiveness.
This week as we hope and wish everyone would be cheery and delightful, let’s remember that our interactions with strangers are only a small glimpse into their world. When possible, let’s give the benefit of the doubt; let’s assume the best and focus on giving more love than we receive. Be the Christmas joy you wish to see in the world.
