By Li Yang, China
Wanru found a job in a restaurant. Though unfamiliar with the working environment and the place of food and other things, she, hard-working, consulted others about anything she didn’t understand, so she mastered her procedures soon.
The second day, it’s nearly the time of getting off work, and Wanru was having dinner with other two sisters. She thought, “We have the meal earlier than before. If we take this chance to begin and finish the cleaning ahead of time, aren’t we able to go off work earlier? Anyway, we always have so much work to do every day. The earlier we finish, the earlier we can go home.” So she ate up quickly and then took a broom and a mop to clean the restaurant carefully as the two sisters taught her. About an hour passing, she finished the work. Looking at the clean and shipshape restaurant, she felt satisfied. At that time, the other two sisters finished their meal exactly and prepared to clean up other things. Seeing that, Wanru looked at the clock in the hall and thought, “How can they eat so slowly? It wasn’t until I got the work done that they finished the meal. … Well, forget it, I needn’t care so much. Anyway, the work has been done.” However, never had she thought they would be always like that in the next two days. They took a long time to have dinner and didn’t begin to help Wanru until she finished most of the work. And they used rags to clean somewhere in a casual way and dragged their heels until the off-duty time. But when they left, they even said, “Oh, so exhausted! I’m wiped out.” Hearing these words, Wanru had a lot of mopes. She thought, “I alone did the heavy work here, and you only shirked your duties but you even say you are tired. Don’t you feel any shame? I’m not fussy with you at ordinary time, thinking I am younger than you, so it doesn’t matter that I do more. But you even said such things. It’s too unfair! You must be thinking I am naive, so you both bully me.” Thinking of that, she felt terrible. And she got angrier as she thought about it more, thinking she was too simple-minded. On the way home, she thought, “Tomorrow night, I won’t do this.”
The next day, Wanru didn’t hurry her meal like before, and instead, she lingered over the dinner and browsed the web to read some news, in no rush to do the cleaning. When the two sisters went to work after dinner, she was still eating. Just then she felt a little embarrassed. But she started to have second thoughts, “If I still work like before, they will continue to be lazy at work. Then wouldn’t I be losing out rather? I won’t allow them to think me easy to bully. … Humph! Don’t you eat slowly? I will eat more slowly than you. You can feel what it’s like to be bullied by others.” Then she didn’t feel uneasy anymore. Until the two sisters worked for a long time, Wanru didn’t get up to work. And she didn’t work hard like before; instead, she slowed her speed of cleaning on purpose. When all the work was finished, it was already ten o’clock at night. Actually, they usually got off work an hour earlier, but they delayed until now because of a secret combat. The stores on both sides of the street had closed and it was so quiet. Alone riding her electric scooter on the way home, Wanru thought in her heart, “Regarding my behavior just then, can I be called a Christian?” The more she thought of that, the more ashamed she was. She felt she was wrong.
After getting home, Wanru lay awake on the bed. Replaying the scenes of these days, she realized there was God’s good intention in the things not accorded with her own wills, so she shouldn’t fix her gaze on the two sisters, and instead, she should pray to God to seek what God’s will is and what lesson she should learn. When she prayed silently to God, she suddenly remembered God’s words, “Can you contemplate attacking and seeking revenge against people, giving them a hard time and showing them who is the boss whenever you despise them, do not get along with them, or when they do not listen to or obey you? “If you don’t do what I want, I won’t punish you now, but I’ll find an opportunity. No one will know, no one will find out, but I will punish you and make you submit to me. I’ll make you beg for mercy; I’ll show you that I am inviolable. I’ll show you my iron fist and my power. After that, no one will dare to mess with me!” Have you done this kind of thing? What kind of a humanity is possessed by a person who does such a thing? In terms of their humanity, they are malicious. If measured using the truth, it is that they do not have God-fearing hearts.” The revelations of God’s words made Wanru understand that if a person can’t get along with others, he will use some methods to teach them a lesson, so as to show others his power and protect his own benefit, this type of person doesn’t have any normal humanity and what he reveals is malice. At that time, Wanru recalled her behavior of the day, and felt much guilty inside. Because she thought the two sisters did less than herself, which hurt her benefits, she resorted to the despicable means to retaliate against them. From the outside, she didn’t obviously fight with them, but in her heart, she treated them based on the rules of Satan, such as “If you’re not kind, I won’t be just,” “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” and “A taste of your own medicine.” She couldn’t help thinking, “I calculated and even secretly fought with others just for some of my fleshly interests. Do I have any decorum of saints? I took contemptible measures to solve this matter when I could communicate with them about it. As a result, I’m not happy at all. God requests us Christians to treat others with tolerance, patience and sense, but I am overly-critical of them, thinking they are unkind. Now reflecting on my behavior according to God’s words, I finally realize I am wrong and my corrupt disposition takes root within me so deeply.” God made Wanru gain more knowledge of her nature through this matter. At that time, she saw the filth within the deep of her heart and the ugliness of her being corrupted by Satan. Besides, she understood God’s good intention in saving her.
Afterward, Wanru saw God’s words, “Even though they have this idea of hate, this evil thought, they do not act upon it. Because they fear God, do not want to offend God, are afraid to offend God, and they possess God-fearing hearts, they therefore do not utter a word that is out of line. They feel they cannot get along with someone, or have some thoughts and views about them, but they never take any actions, and would not offend God on this matter. What kind of behavior is this? It is conducting oneself and handling things with principle and impartiality. …You may not like this person, but you can still do things according to principle. As such, you have a basic God-fearing heart. If you have a bit more than that, you will be able to help them. When you see they have some faults or weaknesses, even if they have offended you or affronted you, or harmed your interests, you can still help them. This would be even better; this would mean that you are a person who possesses humanity, the reality of truth, and a God-fearing heart.” Wanru found the way of practice under the teachings of God’s words. If she wanted to practice the truth and live out the likeness of human in the matters she encountered, she should have a heart fearing God, instead of relying on the corrupt satanic disposition to get along with others. When getting along with the two sisters, she should fear God and seek God’s will, but not treat or hurt them with a malicious heart. She should act in accordance with God’s words, that is, she should treat the two sisters with love and sense, and practice the truth to help them when seeing their shortcomings, achieving get along with them well. Only living like this could satisfy God’s will. Therefore, she started to interact with the two sisters as God required. When they had dinner together, she didn’t spin out time anymore, and she hurried to work after dinner no matter whether the two sisters worked or not. She only wanted to live according to God’s requirements. She worked with pleasure, and she also helped them with other work after she had done her own. Though she was a little tired, she felt very happy. Because she understood some of God’s intent, and she no longer fought with others for a little benefit. When she acted like that, the two sisters also changed their attitude to her. They ate quickly and sometimes they would rush to work before her. What’s more, the relationship between the two sisters and Wanru became better and better and they always helped out and concerned about each other. In addition, the two sisters often said Wanru was kind and capable before their boss. When hearing these words, Wanru thanked and praised God in her heart, because she knew it wasn’t that she was good, but rather, God’s words changed her.
A month later, the two sisters quit their jobs because they needed to deal with something in their families, so the restaurant employed two new workers. The older one, Aunt Wang, was ordered to help Wanru with work and the other one, Sister Liu, to wash the bowls and vegetables and do some other chores. On the first day of their work, seeing they both worked diligently, Wanru thought they would be easy to get along well with like the former sisters. But things didn’t go on as she expected. After several days, Wanru found Sister Liu, who worked in the kitchen, often lay down on her job and even ate the food from the restaurant without permission. Seeing that, Wanru felt unsettled, but then she thought she’d better mind her own business and just handle her own work. Afterward, Aunt Wang also found Liu was lazy, so she said to Wanru many times, “Liu always loafs on the job. Look, there are so many bowls in the sink, but she doesn’t go to wash and even plays her cellphone. If she delays her work until the off-duty time, we have to help her again.” Hearing her words, Wanru didn’t say anything, but she thought, “Right. She doesn’t do her own job in time, so that we have to help her and go off work late. If she continues doing like this, it’s too unfair to us. We gain the same wages but do more work than her. Why should we do this?” Just then Wanru felt resentment against Sister Liu. And her landlady’s words occurred to her, “If you find anyone who neglects her duty, you can tell me and I’ll change a new one quickly.” Thinking of that, Wanru was thinking whether to tell the landlady about Sister Liu. Several times when she met the landlady, she almost spoke about the truth, but her voice always died on her lips, because she felt uneasy. She thought, “We all work here; what right do I have to quit her job? What should I do to accord with God’s will?” At that time, she remembered God’s words, “God has arranged such a fantastic environment for you. You have too many personal issues; you must learn to adapt, and not pick at the bad habits of others. Moreover, you have to be able to get along with them based on love, and get close to them; you need to see their strengths, learn from their strengths, and then pray to God and overcome your own problems. This is the attitude and practice of submission.” From God’s words, Wanru understood God’s will and realized that God revealed her corruption through this environment. She shouldn’t fix her eyes on Liu’s shortcomings. What she should do is to adjust to the environment and overcome her own problems. And when she found Liu had some inadequacies, she should help her first instead of making conclusions about her or giving her the cold shoulder. Only doing that would satisfy God’s will. If she could help Sister Liu get changed, it was better than dismissing her. Wanru also remembered when she revealed her corruption and rebelliousness, God didn’t punish her, and instead He gave her chances to repent and change. She should practice treating Liu according to God’s principle.
So, Wanru took the initiative to help Sister Liu with a loving heart when they worked. And she also prayed for that matter, “Oh, God! Thank you for your revealing. I see I am corrupted deeply by Satan. When someone affects my own interests, I can’t act according to Your words and I have no tolerance and love for others. Please guide me so that I can practice in accordance with Your words.” When she prayed to God like that several times, Wanru gradually put aside her prejudice toward Sister Liu, and actively communicated with her, telling her some experience of working. After two days, Wanru was surprised to see that Liu, just like being a new person, started to do work on her own initiative and wasn’t lazy anymore. After that, their relationship also became harmonious. Seeing all that, Wanru thanked God for arranging these environments from the bottom of her heart.
Through the things happening these days, Wanru experienced the authority and power of God’s words. Just like a ray of light, God’s words lighted her spirit. When she lived in the corrupt dispositions and relied on Satan’s poisons to do things, the revelations of God’s words made her see the truth that she is corrupted deeply by Satan and she needs God’s salvation. When she obeyed God and practiced in accordance with God’s word, she felt peace and happiness. That feeling could never be replaced by money or any material comforts. Thank God!