Today's workout was really good. Boot camp was a butt-kicker, just like always, and a student, Mason, was able to join in for the day. People were complimenting me on my progress and they also were making jokes about how weird it would be if I was actually an evil super villain. All of them commented on the fact they think I'm way too nice to ever be mean or angry, but I told them all they were wrong. Tonight at the mall proved that fact.
I was in Mall St. Matthews walking around with a student named Alex. We had gone in a lot of stores and decided to end our trip with Brookstone. I have actually wanted to get a massage chair for quite some time - especially because my workouts leave my body aching. So, we went in to explore the options. I walked in and sat down in one of the chairs and picked up the remote. When I tried to switch on the unit, I found the power was not running to it. The manager of the store was showing another chair to a couple and he looked over at me and said, "Sir, I'm sorry, but we can only demonstrate one chair at a time." I understood the problem. They had probably had several kids come in to the store who were destructive with the merchandise and they could no longer afford to let anyone just come in and use the equipment. Just as that thought popped into my head, (which was only about 3 seconds after the manager had made his comment) the manager again looked at me, this time he rudely said, "Sir, I'm actually going to need you to get up out of the chair. Thank you." I was baffled. I was not being destructive, I wasn't even leaning back in the chair. I was literally just sitting there looking at the remote trying to see all of the different features. His tone was so rude and it startled me. I put my shoes on and got out of the chair. At this point, I saw other merchandise in the store and Alex wanted to keep looking, so we stayed.
In another section of the store, I sat down in a chair which had a calf massager attached to it. This calf massager even had a sticker on it which read, "Try me!" so I knew I wouldn't get in trouble for using this one. I sat down in the chair and got my calves massaged, but kept an eye on the manager as he continued his sales pitch to the couple he was originally working with. What happened next infuriated me. There was another couple, probably in their mid 30's, who came up and sat down in the chairs and he did not say a word to them. He just continued his sales pitch. He turned around, saw them, and did not say a word. That's what set me off. I looked at Alex and said, "I think I'm about to cause a scene."
We sat for a few more minutes and then got up out of the chairs. As we were walking out, a worker and I struck up a conversation. I asked if the man who had spoken to me earlier was the manager. The worker verified that it was and I said, "He was a real jerk." The manager then walked up to the worker and told him that he needed him to go show another demo. The worker walked away which left me and the manager standing there alone. The manager looked at me and said, "Come back some other time and maybe we can take care of you." I was outraged, so I lost it. I looked at him and said, "Ya know, I came in here tonight thinking I was going to buy a massage chair, but you were really rude with me, so that's not going to happen now, so don't worry about it."
He looked as if no one had ever spoken to him that way. He looked at me and said, "Sir, we can only demo one at a time." And I said, "What really bothered me is that you said something to me, then other people came and sat in the chairs and you didn't say a word to them," my hands were flying with gestures because I couldn't contain myself any longer, "And you were very rude in the way you talked to me. So don't worry about my business anymore."
He tried to say, "I'm sorry", but I cut him off in the middle, put up both of my hands and said, "We don't need to talk about this anymore. Just understand that you have lost my business." What he said next was even more amazing.
He said, "Sir, if you understood what I have to put up with everyday, you would understand. If you don't have to put up with what I have to put up with, that's really good for you."I just put up my hands and said, "We're fine, don't worry about it. Just know I won't be back. Have a good night." Alex and I then walked out of the store.
As I walked away, I realized, sometimes it's okay to be angry. David Banner, who transforms into The Incredible Hulk, in the move "The Avengers" says, "Want to know a secret? I'm always angry." That's not an okay way to be. And don't get me wrong, there are definitely some dumb things to be angry about and also some dumb ways to handle anger, but anger is okay when it's used properly. In my mind, this was a proper use because the manager had embarrassed me in the store and thought that was an appropriate way to deal with people. My anger helped him to learn that's not okay and maybe he'll be better off for it (hopefully). But people, use your anger in a righteous way. Remember that even Jesus flipped over some tables because He saw people were making a mockery of the Temple. We should be the same way. Some things should upset us. Child abuse should upset us, racism should upset us, hatred should upset us, world hunger should upset us. I'm sure you can think of many more righteous examples of anger.
Just remember that it's okay to be angry sometimes, not all the time - just make sure you get angry about the things God gets angry about and handle it in the way Jesus would.
"On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’" (Mark 11:15-17 NLT)
Workout:
Boot camp
Till next time homies,
Peace and much love.
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