Mean and Not Heard

I will now continue with my “Wendy’s Devotions” series. In part 1 I compared works-righteousness with closing the dining room perfectly…it’s just not possible..now for part 2. This one’ll be harder to write because I’m more directly involved..but ah well,now for it!

Toward the end of summer a couple of new managers were brought in to my Wendy’s. This seemed totally pointless since lately the GM has been making pretty much everyone who wants to be a manager a manager. So as the old saying goes,we have “a lot of chiefs but not enough Indians.” Anyways, one of the new managers was this particularly mustachioed man. At first I had great admiration for him,for I too was sporting a stash and was inspired by his…as weird as that sounds. But then I returned to college and came back at the end of the semester completely clean shaven. This guy was still there,still had the stash,but he wasn’t exactly as I had remembered him.

I guess we got off on the wrong foot. My first time working with him I was on back window. Part of back window responsibilities involve doing the dishes. We have what we call “the tumbler”,which is basically a jacuzzi for dishes. While it was filling up I had hit the button to start the cycle,but forgot to shut off the water and soap mixture. So it started over-filling. Enter the mustache manager who quickly fixed the situation and reprimanded me soundly. Of course,it was a mistake on my part,but I didn’t see the need for him to get his underpants filled with bristles because of it. The rest of the shift we seemed to be eyeing each other (in a bad way) and having clashes…and I only worked with him for an hour!

The following weeks were much the same. It seemed we kept rubbing each other the wrong way. For once I had met a person who made me seriously consider walking out of Wendy’s mid-shift. And for once I was actually vocal about it–behind his back. No one else minded my complaints for they felt the same way. This guy was a hard friend to earn. So basically behind this guy’s back we were all spewing mean comments about him…myself, the Bible college student,included. Obviously a change of heart was needed.

What brought it to a head was studying through 2 Peter. In chapter 2, Peter warns his readers of false teachers, giving them the who,what,and why. In verse 10,one stand-out characteristic of false teachers is their despising of authority. Now false teachers in general are not saved,so I am hardly a false teacher..but would I want to even be confused with one? Even as a Christian,does not despising authority undermine the message of submission to God that I’m trying to convey?

So I’m striving to beat this attitude toward this manager..this silent meanness that pervades the crew about this man. I’m trying to be nicer to him, trying to hold my tongue while others back-bite. I know,I know, I still need to improve. Actually standing up for him is a next big hard step..but it must be done. Pray for me in this regard. Submission to someone that is already cold toward you is tough. Pray that I break both of our shells..