16 cents

I was at a drive-thru today picking up a salad for lunch and I asked them for a packet of bar-b-que sauce. (I find salad much more palatable if it reminds me of steak). They told me my total and asked me to pull around to the window. As I was handing the lady a card I heard somebody yell, "She's got to pay for the sauce". The woman swiped the card, waited for it to clear and hollered back, "Too late, I already ran the card". The guy hollered back that if I don't pay for it I can't have it. The woman looked at me and shook her head. "You got to pay for the sauce. It's sixteen cents." I fished around in my ashtray and pulled out the right change. I smiled at her and said, "Just out of curiousity, why is it free inside but I have to pay for it at the drive-thru?" She said, "It's just the manager". I asked if he was at the next window and she said yes.

I wasn't angry, just curious, so I asked the manager the same question. He informed me that unless I buy chicken nuggets, I'm supposed to pay for it every single time...no exceptions. I told him that I order the same thing all the time and I've never paid for the sauce. He said that I should have. I picked up my order (with my sauce) and drove away. I decided that I probably wouldn't return to that particular restaurant.

It's not that I mind paying for the sauce...I think it's worth 16 cents for me to be able to eat a salad. But I was a little miffed by the way it was handled. I decided to forgive and bless (which is almost always the best decision) and go on with my day. But, it got me thinking.

How many 16 cent mistakes do I make, and what is the real cost? Over sixteen cents I'm going to go to a different drive-thru. There are too many choices available for me to set myself up for aggravation. How many people are not sitting in church because of sixteen cents? How many people have been offended over something minor and decide not to go back. Sadly, many of these people don't pick a new drive-thru (church), they just decide not to go.

I don't want to be the one demanding sixteen cents. I want the people around me to remember being fed, not the coins in the ashtray. I want to represent my God well; His love and compassion and mercy. I want to provide the extras...without worrying about nickels and dimes.

Father God, help me to focus on the changes you want to make in me and let me not be distracted by the cost. All glory to God!