Everyone has triggers that can set them off. For me, it is inept customer service. Of course, I immediately assume I am right. At the same time, I can be rude and forget that the person on the other end of the line is also an individual with their own life story. It is even more challenging to be sympathetic when the customer service person reads scripted answers over the phone that do not help the problem.
God help the poor person who is not adept at all at customer service, and they get me on the line. I forget the other individual who also needs kindness. I deserve a flunking grade for many conversations. Consider this, I am allowing a conversation with a stranger to set me off.
That’s when God brings me face to face with my pride. I pray and ask forgiveness. God in His goodness then runs me through the course again. I distinctly remember that four-hour encounter with Comcast (my customer service nemesis!!!).
The good thing is that I sometimes learn from my previous disasters. In the last Comcast experience, the first conversation went well. The second was much more challenging. The third one was better. Did the situation with the mal-functioning equipment get readily resolved? No!!!! However, I didn’t lose any brain cells or my temper over the matter. Neither did I share with them venom from my mouth and heart. God can give victory, if I just shut my mouth.
Rule of thumb for me is to breathe!!! Let God enter the encounter. Good verse to ponder: It is a person’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. (Proverbs 20:3). So, in these days of trigger finger tempers, are you behaving honorably? Am I? Only by letting God control the situation and being quick to obey Him (rather than myself) can we find victory. Who knows who will be on the phone next!
Read this excellent piece about the power of words
