This past weekend was the first volleyball tournament of the season I was able to attend. I was beyond excited to physically watch my son's favorite thing to do in real-time. It was a local one that didn't have any spectator restrictions, so my other two kids joined in on the excitement.
I prepared our snack bags, lunches, and extra water the night before. Everything we could prepare, we arranged and set it beside the mudroom doors to leave without forgetting anything. We had it all planned out. My husband will take our oldest to the venue early in the morning, and I will follow a couple of hours later with our other two children.
Since my husband arrived early enough, he was able to scout the area and reserve prime real estate seating. This sportsplex has large ceiling-to-floor windows that encourage you to watch the games from the top floor, which overlooks the first floor, where the athletes play. So the setup includes bar-like tables and stools for your convenience. Each table is set up with two chairs and enough space between each window so everyone can have their viewing pleasure. It was perfect because I could watch my son, and he could see us cheering him on. If he needed anything, he could use hand motions to tell us, or I could observe the need. We had prime seats; it felt like skybox seats in a stadium. Since my husband occupied one chair, we only had one other chair available. My daughter and I planned to share that seat while my younger son used the fold-out chair we brought from home.
Well, after a few games and a trip to the bathroom, I noticed a gentleman a few tables away who had a vacant seat. I inquired if he was using the stool, and he kindly said I could take it. I was thrilled to have another chair for our little party of four.
After several more matches, we waited for the semi-final match. At this point, we were there for over five hours. My husband and son went to buy dinner and left my daughter and me to reserve our little campground. Everyone was a happy camper until a patron who sat at a table near us came over and asked for my husband's chair. I politely responded that my husband and son would be returning, so, unfortunately, she could not have the chair. She then continued to tell me that the chair we were using was from her table. And I informed her that I obtained the chair from a different table, and she responded that she was the one who let that table borrow that chair. She then tells me that every table should only have two chairs. Mind you, the table on the opposite side of her (the table she let borrow her second chair) had three chairs, and so did other tables.
Anyway, I stood my ground and said no, we would hold on to the chair because my husband and son would be returning. She proceeds to tell me how unthoughtful I was and says to me sarcastically to enjoy the chair. At this point, I continue to respond with, "thank you." She walked behind us a few times and kept indirectly speaking to me, repeating similar comments, to which I kept responding, "thank you." BTW, she acquired an available chair from a different table with no problem.
After this distasteful disturbance of my perfect setup, I sat on my stool with the one empty seat right next to me and asked the Holy Spirit if I was wrong. Did I do anything wrong since she didn't have her facts straight? Our third chair didn't come from her table, and other patrons had a table and three stools. I felt like she was rude and inconsiderate. She obtained another chair from other patrons; why was she targeting us for a chair?
I embarrassingly wondered if it was a racial issue for a split second because the other spectators were Caucasian, and we were the only Asians. I know, I went there. I'm not going to lie; my mind was going in a few different directions at the moment. As I watched my son warm up for his semi-final match, I asked the Holy Spirit what I should've done. Was I a good example to my daughter, who witnessed everything go down? Should I have been more generous with the chair and looked for another chair when my husband and son returned? Should I have apologized again instead of sarcastically saying, "thank you?" Was I exemplifying Christ-likeness? The answer was obvious since I was having this dialogue. I was not.
"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." ~John 13:35 (NIV)
After about 8 hours at the sportsplex, a gold medal around my son's neck, and a rough conversation with a stranger, I felt pretty lousy going to bed. I repented to the Lord in front of my family. I resolved I needed to do better and be better. How can I express love in the simplest of ways? By sharing a chair that doesn't belong to me? Offer to help her find another? Give up my chair?
Ironically, this morning as I prayed for the day, this verse popped up:
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." ~Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
Hmm, I guess God's trying to teach me a lesson. ☺
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