Don’t Be A Sherry

What We Cultivate Within Comes Out In Our Words

I walked into an office to schedule an appointment with one of my business accounts. The lady managing the appointments called for me to approach her desk. I greeted her and asked if they had any availability. 

"You know better than this," she said. I didn't respond as I was attempting to ascertain her tone. She was wearing a mask, which made it impossible to see if she was smiling. I raised my eyebrows and opened my eyes wide, awaiting the punchline.

"You have been doing this long enough that you know you are not to come in here and bother us on Mondays," she snapped loudly, continuing to huff in exasperation, staring at me in disdain. Still speechless and utterly perplexed, I stood stunned at being talked to so poorly.

Before I could make sense of her wild diatribe, her colleague leaned over and said, "Sherry (not her real name), today is Thursday, not Monday."

"Well, it's my Monday," she bellowed.

A couple of days ago, I went to a restaurant with my wife and son. As the waitress brought out our appetizer, the sauce fell from her tray, hit the ground, and splashed on the pants of a well-dressed older gentleman. 

I held my breath and thought this could go one of two ways.

The waitress scrambled and apologized profusely. She was on her hands and knees wiping up the floor and offering to have the gentleman's clothes dry cleaned. 

Both the man and his wife replied, "It's just clothes. The sauce will come out. Don't worry about it. It was an accident."

Later that night, ten-year-old Will asked us if most people respond like the gracious older couple. 

I thought of Sherry.

We have all been there, though. I have likely been more of a Sherry in my life than the older couple. When I am not at peace within myself, I am not at peace with others. I react outwardly with what I have been feeding and nurturing inwardly. I verbalize what is in my heart.

An ancient proverb states, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." Another proverb adds that "there are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

What we cultivate within our hearts manifests in our words. And those words have impact and consequences in how they may wound or heal another. 

Question

1. Think about a time when your words hurt someone. Spend some time meditating on it. What did your inner self look like at the time?

Peace,

Brandon