In my third year of being a single mom, I had promised myself that if I got a solid teaching job, I would take the kids to Disney World. So after my first year of teaching full time, I booked the three of us a two week vacation to Orlando.
We were staying at a budget place near Disney World, that cost a mere $25 per night, and offered a full breakfast buffet daily where kids ate for free! Needless to say, we were there faithfully every morning. One morning as we were waiting in line to be seated, there was an elderly couple just ahead of us. The woman was in a wheelchair and her husband was pushing her. At first glance, I thought, "Oh my, isn't that wonderful, she is unable to walk, but she has a husband to take care of her." Then, "Lucky her, poor me, I wish I had a husband ... blah, blah, blah."
Momentarily, the couple was led to a table close enough to the podium that I could both hear and see what transpired while we continued to wait for our table. The restaurant must have been busier than usual, or perhaps short-handed that day. In any case, the hostess forgot to give them the cutlery wrapped in a serviette, and rushed off to take care of some other duties.
Meanwhile the husband parked his wife at the table, a little abruptly, and stalked off to the buffet without a second glance at her. He returned almost immediately with a plate holding a couple of carelessly chosen morsels of food and literally dropped the plate in front of her so forcefully that a clump of scrambled eggs bounced off the plate and landed on the table. I was riveted to the floor with my jaw slackened in surprise. Heads turned at the clatter of dish-against-table. Patrons drew a collective breath to see what would happen next.
The lady simply looked up at her husband and in a gentle, sweet voice said, "Thank you, could you please bring me some cutlery?" I was standing right beside the bin containing the wrapped utensils, and the man was no more than 5 or 6 feet in front of me.
The man retorted, "You don't need any cutlery, eat it with your hands." Then he turned on his heel and returned to the buffet table.
I was so stunned, I couldn't move. It was like time stood still as I realized a few things. First of all, I would rather be alone for the rest of my life than be treated so cruelly, so humiliatingly, so rudely by the one person who is supposed to cherish me above all others. Secondly, I saw myself in my old age, all alone and helpless, and wondered if I didn't have a husband, who would care for me? Thirdly, I realized that in order to not be completely abandoned in my elder years, I would have to become the kind of woman who drew people to her like bees to a flower. I would need to be surrounded by a group of folks that genuinely loved me and cared for me because I was a blessing in their lives.
And I knew that the only way to become so sweet, so gentle, so loving, that others are drawn to me in that way, I would need to be conformed to the image of Christ. I would have to be transformed by the renewing of my mind, and I would have to get rid of all traces of bitterness that had taken root in my heart. I would need God to create a renewed spirit within me. I would need to think upon whatever is pure, noble, righteous, and good -- in other words, "I" must decrease and He must increase within me.
Immediately, instead of whining about not having a husband, I began worshipping the One who was my Husband. Right there at the front of the line in that restaurant, I made a commitment to the Lord and to myself that it would be more about Him, and less about me. Because Jesus promised,
"Whoever loses their life for my sake will find it."
I was prepared to take Him up on that offer.
Suddenly the hostess was in front of me smiling, "Right this way." She said, "Sorry about the wait."
"No problem," I returned her smile, and as we followed her to our table, we went right past the couple I had been observing. They ate together in stoney silence. The clicking of their cutlery against their plates was the only conversation.
I prayed, "Father, please surround that woman with people that love her and cherish her. Please protect her heart. Let her know You, Lord, so that she may know what true love looks like and feels like. Oh Father, no one should be treated like that! Please tender her husband's heart towards her and let him be repentant for how he has been acting towards her. And let him come to full knowledge of You. Lord I pray that you will make me into the woman you created me to be. Let me not be bitter, selfish, or even remotely sorry for myself. Let me rejoice in each and every day that you make for me, that I may serve you better, know you more completely and love you more deeply. And Father, I pray that you will never let me be treated as this poor woman is being treated now."
Readers, I pray none of you are being treated like this woman was being treated. But more importantly, I pray that you will seek Him with all your heart and soul and mind and strength so that you will become the most irresistible flower attracting many bees to care for you, love you, honour you and bless you all the days of your life. I pray the same for me. God Bless you!
Love, Darilyn
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