It was perfect. There was only one person ahead of me in the checkout line and they only had a few items. I will be out of here in less than five minutes, I thought. As the checker scanned my items, I knew something was awry.
“It’s not scanning!”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not scanning!” the checker repeated. “I’m going to have to call my manager.”
Great, I thought. The manager soon came over and searched through several lists. “It’s not reconciling!”
“What does that mean?”
“It means, “ the manager began, “that this item is not entered into our scanners and our inventory does not have it.”
“But how can that be?” I questioned. “It was on the shelf and…”
“I know!” the manager, interrupted, anticipating my objection. “Sometimes the reconciliation is overlooked or even ignored. The warehouse assumes the shelf stockers party made it right when in reality, both sides were waiting for the other to make the first move. We will investigate and take care of it.”
I have been shopping at this store for years and a relationship has been established. This was clearly an unanticipated flaw in their inventory system and although upsetting, they were willing to investigate and correct the problem, to reconcile their shelf products with their inventory. In so doing, they will gather all involved parties to resolve the misunderstanding.
Friendships are no different.
When a friend says something hurtful to you, deserved or not, intentional or unintentional, it still stings and hurts. At that point, do I reject the relationship or do I allow a second chance? Like the flaw in the store’s inventory, is reconciliation a simple fix, ensuring that all parties communicate? Is reconciliation always an option or are some relationships beyond repair?
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (ESV)
If I reject an opportunity for reconciliation, I deny the very power and authority of Jesus Christ in my life. But what about what they said to others about me? What about that awful thing they did to me? Me. Me. Me. It is never about me. It is all about Jesus Christ. If I fear the actions of man more than the healing power of the God who created this universe, then my faith is truly minuscule and my God is far too small.
In God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Psalms 56:11 (ESV)
Nothing.
Only I can deny the power of Jesus Christ to reconcile any relationship.
Amen!
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
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