I had to make a quick run up to Birmingham today to pick up some materials for work. Now, I don’t always go into gas stations looking for a conversation, some of the most interesting ones just happen there. I had to go in today because my boss’s credit card was asking for his zip code. After trying seven different numbers I thought it would be at three different gas stations, I finally had to go inside. I told the clerk behind the counter my situation, and I’m not really sure what happened next. All I know is that the guy beside me started yelling that what I was doing was a scam, and I was a credit card fraud. Good start to a conversation.
The lady behind the counter calmly asked for my ID and then went away to talk to her manager. When I turned to the guy next to me, I didn’t really know where to go from there, I just knew I was upset. He just said to me, “It’s alright brother, we’re all playing a game, you just gotta get a little better at yours.” I didn’t really know how to respond to that, so I asked him to explain it to me. He told me that there were con artists all around the city and they were all gunning for the top spot and the strong reputation. He then told me that what I was doing was small time and that I needed to step my game up to the next level if I was going to make it.
I literally laughed in his face. I’m sorry, it was my first reaction. When I asked him his name, he told me I could just call him Eric. I told him that I wasn’t who he thought I was, and I had no desire to play in his game. Although, I did tell him I wanted to know more about it. I just started firing off questions. How many jobs have you pulled today? About a dozen. How many of those were on strangers? All of them. How many were successful? Two. How many were successful yesterday? One. So let me get this straight, you use and abuse people for a game you’re not any good at either?
For a split second, he hung his head, but then all that pride and arrogance swelled back up, he bowed up, and I didn’t know what was going to happen next. Before anything escalated, I told him I wasn’t looking for a fight and wouldn’t put up one if he tried, but I just wanted him to realize that there’s never any profit when you just try to steal from someone else. You’re always on the run, always watching your back, and no matter how big you are, you’re always watching your back. What you choose to do will always catch up with you. I don’t believe in karma, I just believe in consequences for our actions. Not all consequences are bad because not all actions are bad.
Before I walked out, I told Eric that I don’t watch my back because I don’t do things worthy of an ambush. Plus, on the off chance that I would get blindsided, I choose to live my life in a way that I have plenty of people to watch it for me. When I got in the car, I thought of one last thing. It was too late for Eric, but I still thought it was cool to share here. This may be old news, but do you know the one piece that is missing on the “Armor of God”? Something to cover your backside. It’s partly because we weren’t intended to run. But the other reason is that, since we are human and we do turn our backs from time to time, as a part of the body of Christ, we’ll have people to cover us. That’s why I don’t watch my back…
