Fixing Glass....and relationships.

Sometimes I have a tendency of procrastinating on certain projects that are going to cost hundreds of dollars. My old truck was nicknamed "Junior" (not exactly one of those trucks you see in television commercials pulling 737's behind it) and among other aesthetic flaws, it had a huge crack that ran the length of the windshield. It wasn't until the day of my first date with Ashley that I finally shelled out the money to get it replaced. Convincing her to date a man who drove a pick up named "Junior" was going to be a big enough challenge; the least I could do is pull up in a ride that had a window you could see out of.

Someday I believe I will drive a big ol' truck that I can be proud of. In the meantime, I am driving a four door Honda that is faithful in getting me from point A to point B. A crack started to appear on the windshield a few---ok, several months ago--and once again, I waited as long as I could to replace it. When I finally got around to calling the glass company, I was pleasantly suprised that they offered to come to my house to fix the glass. It was long overdue.

The technician showed up a few days ago, introduced himself with a smile and a warm handshake, and quickly began working. Thirty minutes into the project, I heard a knock at the door. I opened the door to see him standing there, smileless, and holding a copy of the initial agreement. "Is your car a '94 or '93?" he asked. I told him I thought it was a '94, and he quickly let me know I gave him the wrong information when we scheduled the appointment. He checked the VIN number to find out that the car was actually a '93. This minor blooper on my part meant he had the wrong windshield, and he was now going to have to drive all over town to find the correct one. Unfortunately, I just extended his workday by a few hours.

He was visibly frustrated, and I was embarassed. I knew I blew it. Typically, a particular windshield would fit consecutive years of vehicles, but in this instance, there happened to be a difference between the '93 and '94 windshields. We stood there staring at each other, in a bit of a showdown, and I found myself wrestling with whether or not I wanted to take responsibility. It's not hard to come up with excuses when you don't feel like apologizing. Did I really tell them the wrong year? Did they mess up by writing down the wrong year? No excuses. I messed up.

It was tough to look him in the eye and apologize for wasting so much of his time. It took some work, but I finally mustered the courage to take responsibility. The first part of the conversation was extremely awkward--until I apologized. As soon as he heard the words, "I'm sorry", his demeanor changed and it was as if I was talking to an entirely different person. He was very pleasant and gracious for the rest of the job--especially suprising considering that he was still working at 7pm (in the rain!) instead of being at home with his family.

"I'm sorry" is a powerful little phrase. Those two words have the capacity to pump life into a strained marriage, restore old friendships, and keep us in agreement with God. As a matter of fact, I can't think of a single negative result from saying "I'm sorry." Sure your pride takes a hit, but isn't that a good thing?

A cracked windshield usually starts with a simple chip. The more you ignore it, the more it grows and becomes increasingly visible. In my case, the chip turned into a major crack which spiderwebbed across the entire windshield leaving me little room to see. I put up with it for a long enough period of time that it eventually became the norm. Offence in relationships has a smiliar effect. Somebody will say something or do something that will serve as a "chip", and if it is not dealt with it will spread and eventually contaminate the entire relationship.

A few years ago, it became clear that God was asking me to make a phone call. I drug my feet and asked myself a few hundred times if it was really God. It was painfully obvious that God was in it, so I dialed the number. My heart was pounding as I waited for somebody to pick up on the other line. Just before I was about to bail and hang up, I heard a voice on the other end. Bummer. I was really going to have to go through with this after all. "Sorry, I have the wrong number" was not an option. I was calling to apologize for some hurtful things that I had written anonymously about another person from eight or nine years ago. God had not forgotten. He wanted me to make things right. I confessed to my wrong doing and apologized profusely. It was an incredibly healthy conversation where much grace was extended towards me. He even found time to encourage me in the midst of my apology.

I encourage you to take some time and reflect on your life and your relationships. Perhaps you've already been feeling uneasy as you've read this because you know what is coming! Is God asking you to apologize for anything? Is there something that you've done that God is wanting you to make right? Are there any friendships in your life that are currently strained? Have you been waiting for the other person to apologize? Are you caught in the cycle of replaying conversations over and over again in your mind? Have you allowed bitterness and unforgiveness to settle in your heart? I know the feeling; it's miserable.

There is a way out. There are greener pastures to enjoy. There is a better view. It starts with the courage and humility to speak a simple phrase from the heart. As you take this step, you'll see how God will meet you there. He'll help you. He'll be smiling the entire time. Your heart will breathe fresh life. The crack will disappear and you will be able to see clearly again.

I got in my car the following day, pulled away from the garage, and was suprised at how different the view was. I asked myself, "What took me so long to fix this?" I can actually see the road now.