Let your graciousness be known to everyone, the Lord is near.
–Philippians 4:5 CEB

I’ve been on a mission to memorize scripture. This verse seemed to lift off the page as I read it so I felt it must be something the Lord had for me. I memorized and reflected daily until I knew it was locked securely in my mind.

A few weeks ago, I lost internet and landline service. I called my provider and they promised to be out the next day. It didn’t happen. No one called to tell me that they weren’t coming. So I rescheduled with another commitment from the provider that I was not to worry, someone would definitely be out the next day. It didn’t happen, and I had rescheduled two other appointments to be here when they came. I kept calling and they kept promising. I had to wrangle with the little robot man each time to get through to a real person. While waiting, I had to listen to marketing blurbs. Buying something in addition was definitely not the noise I wanted to hear.

After the second time of being told I could trust them and confidently expect a service call this time, I knew the agents were reading from a script. I knew I could not trust a repairman would come, but I wanted service back so I continued to move other appointments (but not happily) for their convenience. For 11 days I called in, battled the robot man, and rescheduled appointments. I felt like I was caught in the movie Groundhog Day. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

I became more than a little frustrated, and yes, angry. Towards the end of my many conversations, the scripture I had recently committed to memory, Philippians 4:5, came to mind. I felt like the Lord was speaking to me: Had I just memorized the verse for mental exercise, or did I intend to practice it? Certainly, by this time I wasn’t being gracious with anyone.

With this tickling of my conscience, I mentally and emotionally settled down and determined to practice graciousness. No more yelling at the little robot man. What a senseless thing anyway but I can’t seem to not do it. I decided there would be no more indignantly stating my case for the umpteenth time. I would talk calmly. I would be kind. I would respect that the person answering my call had no more control over this bad situation than I did. It occurred to me to simply change providers, but how could I know it would be any different? With the decision to hang in and be gracious to every person I spoke with, a peace settled over me that I knew was from the Lord.

When a repairman finally came and got my service up and going again, I had to firmly clasp my hands behind my back to keep from hugging him! It turned out the service techs in 10 states were on strike. Technicians had been called from other areas of the US to help. My repairman was from North Dakota.

What does it mean to be gracious? It means to behave in a manner that honors the Lord,. To be morally right, to speak and act with grace. kindness, and respect for the individual. I couldn’t fix the company, but I could fix me.

And about that last part, the Lord is near.
The Lord is near. I can know His presence and lean into His calm and strength.
The Lord is near. He is always beside me to gently remind and guide me in ways of graciousness.
The Lord is near. He is watching for my reaction. Which one shall I choose?

The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man.
–Proverbs 20:27 (NIV)