It was the whole “devil-on-one-shoulder-angel-on-the-other” scenario.

And let’s just say, the devil had my ear…

I walked downtown this past weekend to enjoy a nice, relaxed breakfast with my friend at one of the favorite morning spots on Main Street.

I got there first and didn’t have to wait long before being taken to a table outside with just enough shade on a warm June Saturday.  The perfect setting for catching up and listening to each other’s hearts.

As I waited, sipping (my coffee) and flipping (through Pinterest), I felt a deep sense of calm and contentment, I was ready to enjoy a great morning with my friend

.

Kitty corner from me was a newly empty table.  The ideal spot for the four elderly ladies that had been waiting since before I’d arrived.

My eyes drifted toward them, waiting and chatting on the bench out front.  With their bright pink outfits and their girlish giggling, they readied themselves to be next called to fill that table with stories and memories of times past.

But then something happened.

Out of nowhere, a man and his family walked into the courtyard and headed straight toward that empty table.  They had not waited in line.  They hadn’t talked to the waitress.  They just marched in like they owned the place and took that spot.

Confused by this strange behavior, the old ladies came to the small fence surrounding the eating area.  “Excuse me, sir”  the tiniest lady said, “but the waitress just told us that this table was ready for us!”

I was proud of them for standing up for themselves.  For having a voice and using it.

Unfortunately, the man didn’t share my enthusiasm.

(And this is where trails of smoke started streaming from my ears…)

Like a puffed up peacock, he stood up, looked at these sweet women and blasted them with his arrogant and entitled attitude:  “It’s NOT your table!  I’ve lived here for x-number of years and I come here every week.  This is MY table, not yours.”

And then he said something that made my blood boil, hot and furious.

“Now just go away and leave me alone.”

Humiliated and hungry, the four women walked away defeated, while the peacock fanned his feathers and flashed a cheshire-like smile at the two men who sat across from him.  Like he had done something worthy of celebration and honor by defending his table from four old ladies.  If his chest had puffed any further I swear it would have burst right open.

Maybe that was just hopeful thinking.

I saw red.  Angry, ugly red.

I could feel my hands forming fists and my jaw clenching to hold back words.  Not nice words, either.

By the time my friend arrived, that devil’s voice in my ear was a scream.  I gave her a hug and complimented her beautiful new haircut, but inside I was completely distracted and agitated.

So that we could get on to bigger and better things, I shared the story with her.  This actually only served to get me more riled up.  More ready to walk over and give that {insert expletives and insulting names} a hearty punch in the side of the head.  And maybe a good kick in the groin.  I also thought about pulling his ken-doll perfect hair and leaving it in a tangled mess on top of his narcissistic head.

But I decided that instead, I’d just bless him with a vigorous verbal assault.  Something sarcastic and cutting.

Isn’t that nice of me? 🙂

I was sure my friend would agree.

Thank goodness, God sometimes stops us in our tracks through others who are more rational.  Enter my friend’s much needed counsel and advice.

“That won’t do any good.  He will just get mad and insult you, too.” (I didn’t really care.)  “How about, instead, you just go over to those four women who got the tongue lashing and are now happily seated and tell them you’re so sorry for what happened to them?”

My friend spoke for the angel on my OTHER shoulder.  The one that, up ’til now I’d been ignoring.

Friends don’t let friends punch peacocks.

Okay, I thought.  That’s a good idea. ( Although, I didn’t see how it would relieve the agitation I felt toward this man that was in my direct line of vision and was ruining my breakfast.)

Now I can’t say that I did this for any of the right reasons.  Honestly, I was just hoping that he would see me comforting those ladies and feel deep humiliation and guilt.  That was my devious motivation.  Sweet passive aggression. 🙂

Apparently, the devil hadn’t quite given up the fight.

Still, I went over to those now happy ladies and apologized for his poor behavior. I told them that I loved seeing them enjoying a girls’ day out and hoped that this incident didn’t ruin their day. After the tiny lady with the pinkest ensemble said feistily, “He’s a jerk” and I full-heartedly agreed, they thanked me profusely and asked my name.  They were so grateful for being acknowledged and understood.

I caught myself looking out of the corner of my eye as I went back to join my friend at the table to see if Mr. Peacock had seen what had just happened.  Just one last time. 🙂

But when I sat back down, I felt completely at peace.  Now I could let the incident go. I knew that the ladies were okay.

I hadn’t blown a great day by letting the devil have his way.

The rest of our morning went into the afternoon as we sat there and shared our hearts and dreams.  It was beautiful and rich and very, very satisfying.  And Mr. Peacock came and went without injury.

It wouldn’t have gone that way if my friend hadn’t been there to talk some sense into me.

My soul would have suffered the angst of reacting emotionally and reaping the consequences of guilt and ultimate dissatisfaction with how I handled the situation. Frustration with knowing that it would have no lasting effect.

Instead, my perspective was changed by blessing those ladies instead of cursing that man.

THIS is why God puts good friends in our lives.  To help protect the well-being of our souls.  To hold us accountable and encourage us in the direction that makes us better, stronger, healthier. To live lives more reflective of God’s heart.

This incident was a good lesson of  “be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,” (James 1:19). 

When the mouth and ears and emotions follow that advice, the soul is the one to benefit.

And when my soul is good, the rest of me follows.

But I still think it would be really fun to show up to that restaurant next Saturday and be waiting at Mr. Peacock’s table when he arrives…:-)

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.