When We Become Friends

Day 9 Doxology: Do you have people that you are certain don't like you?  Up the street is a young fellow that lets it be known that he doesn't care for me in the slightest.

I've thought about him for a while.  He affects my ministry, my workouts, the way I relate to the people closest to him.  I mean I'm a pastor...who wouldn’t like me?  The truth is from time-to-time we come up against people that for whatever the reason just don't seem to care for us.

I felt that it was time for this to change.  So after prayer and conversations with those that know him best, I am determined to win his heart.  That is why he is today's doxology!  I decided today was the day that I was going to start chipping away at whatever it is that has him all stirred up against me.  It doesn't matter how long it will take...I've got all the time in the world, but I have to move with a sense of urgency because we're not promised tomorrow.  So, today it's on!

Let me introduce you Rags.  He don't know it yet, but one day we are going to be good friends. It was over a year ago that I drove up in Rags' driveway only to never leave the safety of my truck.  I must of looked like a treed coon!  The family said, "Get out and come in; we've got some fresh vegetables to give you."  You know that I will do almost anything for food except get out of that truck.  I said, "No thank you!"  My pride sat and watch as a 5 ft, 70 lb. sweet-heart of a women delivered fresh vegetables to my truck window that I would only crack a couple of inches so that I could barely slide the container of food through.

Scripture tells us to turn the other cheek...There is not a cheek that I possess that I would trust Rags with...today!  However, I am determined to win him over.  I believe that is what we should do with our enemies even the ones that will chew your tires off of your truck!  Work to make them frienemies!

So, today it begins.  This morning I dropped by Jacks and spent $1.73 on a sausage and biscuit -the 1st investment into our friendship.  I drove to Rags' house pulled up in the driveway and watched him look at me like I was a new kid in school.  I bravely rolled down my window and begin to tell him how one day he was going to love me...then I boldly dropped the unwrapped sausage and biscuit to the ground, and before I could even take a picture, the biscuit was gone.  Then he started growling at me again, and I think he said something about my lunch money too!  Yep, it was great start -Praise God!

I think one of the first things I'm going to do when we become friends is work on his eating habits!