Patty was making her purchases at the register when the cashier began to complain. “Everybody uses us as a punching bag.”
Patty asked, “Do you mean customers abuse you?”
“Yes,” the cashier said, “they complain and yell at us.”
Patty said, “Well, I’ve been nice.”
“Yes, but most others have a terrible attitude,” the cashier said.
For a long moment, neither one said more. As Patty took her bag to leave, she turned back to the cashier. Sweetly and directly, Patty said, “Maybe you should check your own attitude.”
This is Howard Butt Jr. of Laity Lodge. Our words come out of our attitudes. We can let circumstances shape our perspective, or we can use a good perspective to shape our circumstances—in the high calling of our daily work.
“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.”— Philippians 2:14-16
