She had been employed at the bank for only a week, when her trainer met with the boss to give him a review of the first week and how the new girl handled herself. "She's a fast learner," the trainer said. "I don't think we should keep her in bookkeeping. She needs to be up front, meeting and serving the public," said the trainer.
Well into the first year of being employed by the busiest bank in town, and the greatest boss of all time, the new girl was given more and more responsibility. She loved her job. She felt important. The President would stop by her window and visit every day. They laughed together, shared stories, and became friends. He felt he had made a good choice in her.
Having worked on a farm, the new girl wasn't afraid of work...nor did she consider work to be a dirty word. She loved using her hands to produce something bigger than herself. She loved being needed. When her work was complete, she would find someone to help that may be having trouble finishing before the end of their day. Always wanting to help others, she never felt as if she was hired for just one job; but to actually be a team player. Everyone enjoyed working with her. All but one girl...
Jealousy raged within this one girl. She had watched as the President came every day to visit with the new girl. She had noticed the new girl was given a large bonus at Christmas, only a few months after her hire-in date. She notice it was hand delivered by the President, even though the new girl asked to be excused from the Christmas party where the bonuses were handed out. The party the employees had always been required to attend or they would have to forfeit their bonuses. She had noticed how quickly the new girl had gained popularity and she was not okay with that.
One afternoon, about closing time, the mail pile was high. The new girl noticed this and asked if she could help. The one girl was not making much headway in getting all the accounts posted in payments receivable. The new girl was being kind and wanted to help out. And even though the insurance department was helping with the mail, the one girl did not want the new girl anywhere around her. But, alas, the work must be done. The boss said, "let her help."
As the new girl reached for a stack of mail, the one girl glared, with head down, and never spoke a word to the new girl. Never acknowledged the new girl was there. "Are you okay?" the new girl asked. With voice low and filled with hate, the one girl said, "I hate you." The new girl was completely caught off guard. Her honest heart tried to process what she had just been told. "Why do you hate me?" the new girl ventured. "I don't know. I just hate you," responded the one girl, all the while never allowing their eyes to meet.
That was 38 years ago...and the new girl still shudders when she remembers that day.
"So what?" you ask. Is there a moral to this story? It continues to amaze me at just how damaging our words can be. And how life giving they can be. Words can damage a spirit for an eternity, it would seem. They can also lift and encourage for an eternity, it would seem. So why do we find it necessary to wound, to scar others, to convince them they aren't worth our time? I don't know that I'll ever know the complete answer to those questions. Other than the damaging effects that self-centeredness creates in us, these hating words must come from a heart filled with need. Material songs have been written about it. Like, "I Need You to Need Me", "Shake It Off", "Hater's Are Gonna Hate", and the list goes on & on.
The Scriptures tell us "The tongue has the power of life and death." ~Proverbs 18:21, and, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness." ~James 3:9
As always, here you'll find me...in Mary's World
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