{"id":1158,"date":"2011-07-18T16:40:17","date_gmt":"2011-07-18T20:40:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=1158"},"modified":"2011-07-18T16:40:18","modified_gmt":"2011-07-18T20:40:18","slug":"trucks-and-hard-working-young-men","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/07\/trucks-and-hard-working-young-men.html","title":{"rendered":"Trucks and hard-working young men"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>It was late Friday afternoon. \u00a0Three battered trucks with all sorts of construction equipment flapping from the truck beds buzzed in beside me. \u00a0I entered the convenience store ahead of them. \u00a0As I stood at the ATM, I was rattled by all the truck-driving, young men who \u00a0stood in back of me waiting their turn. \u00a0The four reeked of sweat and their clothes dripped from the dirt and concrete which shouted a day of “hard work” to everyone in the 7-11.<\/p>\n

I assumed that, like me, they were getting off of work and needing cash from their bank account. \u00a0Thoughts flew through my mind. \u00a0I don’t want them to get my pin number. \u00a0No telling what they could do with it.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0I quickly punched my pin code guarding the key pad with my body. \u00a0Carefully avoiding eye-contact with the potential pin-number thieves, I hurriedly, took my cash and receipt and rushed to the restroom. \u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When I exited the restroom, three of the young men that I’d tried to skit away from, stood waiting for me. \u00a0“Lady,” the leader said, gruffly, “you left your card in the ATM.” He handed me my bank card, saying, “You really need to be careful. \u00a0There are people out there who would steal everything you have with this card.” \u00a0The three companions smiled and turned away.<\/p>\n

I was ashamed of my prejudicial assumptions. \u00a0Yesterday, I was faced with a similar incident. \u00a0Three Special Gathering \u00a0members were getting a cup of coffee after working for a ministry for more than an hour. \u00a0This is free coffee to all ministry members. Special Gathering meets in their building but we always provide our own refreshments; and we don’t take from them. \u00a0Because these four members work for the ministry each week, they are allowed to get a cup of coffee.<\/p>\n

Special Gathering is a ministry within the mentally challenged community. \u00a0We exist from the good-will of others. \u00a0However, at times, we are able to help other ministries. \u00a0This was one of those times.<\/p>\n

Two ministry members came into the building as The Special Gathering members were getting their coffee. \u00a0The ministry members looked at us as though we were stealing their coffee. \u00a0I tried to explain to them why were getting four cups of coffee. \u00a0Finally, one of the ministry members said, “I donate $1 each week for the coffee I take.” \u00a0He took the donation jar and sat it beside me.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Irritated, I gathered my members and left the room. \u00a0Later that day, as I thought about the encounter, I realized that I could be making as many false assumptions as I was attributing to the ministry members who had stared at us.<\/p>\n

Trucks and dirty clothes don’t make thieves. \u00a0People who are mentally challenged are usually good and decent folks who merely want to help and be accepted. \u00a0In addition, harsh stares may not mean a lack of hospitality.<\/p>\n

Wylene, my good friend often told me, “Linda, it never hurts to give people the benefit of the doubt.” \u00a0Too often I forget her sage advice. \u00a0Romans 12:19 also says, “My friends, do not try to punish others when they wrong you, but wait for God to punish them with his anger. It is written, ‘I will punish those who do wrong; I will repay them,’ says the Lord.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Scott Williams<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

More good advice comes from blogger and Campus Pastor of the Northwest Oklahoma City Campus of Life Church,\u00a0Scott Williams<\/a>. \u00a0He penned, “Give people the benefit of the doubt, unless they absolutely compel you to do otherwise.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was late Friday afternoon. \u00a0Three battered trucks with all sorts of construction equipment flapping from the truck beds buzzed in beside me. \u00a0I entered the convenience store ahead of them. \u00a0As I stood at the ATM, I was rattled by all the truck-driving, young men who \u00a0stood in back of me waiting their turn.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,20,3,40,186,49,16,8,12,4],"tags":[218,21,688,696,7,699,715,701,694,689,692,217,6],"class_list":["post-1158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity","category-church","category-developmental-disabilities","category-faith","category-hope","category-inspiration","category-intellectual-disability","category-mentally-challenged-community","category-religion","category-simple-truths","tag-benefit-of-the-doubt","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-church","tag-developmental-disabilities-2","tag-faith","tag-hope","tag-inspiration","tag-intellectual-disability","tag-mentally-challenged-community","tag-religion","tag-scott-williams","tag-simple-scriptural-truths"],"yoast_head":"\nTrucks and hard-working young men - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/07\/trucks-and-hard-working-young-men.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Trucks and hard-working young men - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It was late Friday afternoon. \u00a0Three battered trucks with all sorts of construction equipment flapping from the truck beds buzzed in beside me. \u00a0I entered the convenience store ahead of them. \u00a0As I stood at the ATM, I was rattled by all the truck-driving, young men who \u00a0stood in back of me waiting their turn.…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2011\/07\/trucks-and-hard-working-young-men.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2011-07-18T20:40:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2011-07-18T20:40:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/specialgathering.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/07\/truck.jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda G. 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