WHAT I LEARNED FROM CANDY:


I run a difficult machine at work. Sometimes I require help from people who are not required to help me. As a treat for going above and beyond their jobs, I would give them candy. The way I see it is, they don't have to help me. No one makes them help me. They could just tell me to figure it out myself. My machine is difficult and requires a lot of heavy lifting. I am female and not as young as I once was. I also stand proud at 5 foot nothing. I weigh around 115 pounds. I have a pole on my machine that has to be lifted an average of once a night. This pole easily out- weighs me. If I had to lift it myself, it would sit there. I think that goes without saying.
These guys take time from their jobs to help me. Kindness deserves kindness in my book. My kindness seems to have backfired. I am now known as the candy lady. It's not that it is a horrible thing; it's just that people assume. It's no longer a reward for those who go the extra mile. Everyone assumes that I am suppose to give them candy now. It's like I owe it to them.
I have one guy that comes up, snaps his fingers and demands his candy. He doesn't even ask anymore. He snaps his fingers and holds his hand out. The look on his face is total impatience. It doesn't matter what I am doing. He thinks I am supposed to drop everything and jump. How insulting! Not only is it insulting, but it would interfere with my job. I simply cannot stop my work to give into his demands. To add injury to insult, he no longer lifts one little finger to help me.
One guy eats only chocolate. He will go through my bag of candy and pick out all of the chocolates. Did you bring my candy he will ask? Your candy! I'll remember that the next time I am at the register. It is my money that pays for them, so therefore they are my candies. I confess; I hide chocolates sometimes. I am sure he would think I was holding out on him. I like chocolate and that is the only way to assure I get some for myself.
Then there is the one who would help himself and then tell me about it. He could see that I was busy so he did me a favor by helping himself. Perhaps he could see the logic in that, I didn't. Permission to proceed would be nice next time. Without permission it is called stealing.
One guy asked for his candy. I didn't have what he liked. Forgive me, I actually brought in something I liked for a change. Is this all you have, he wanted to know. He took every one of them. Too bad I forced him to eat candy he didn't like. The fact that I liked them meant nothing. The thought that he could have left them for me never crossed his mind.
I started thinking, you ungrateful bunch of heathens. I will no longer supply you with candy. I will leave it at home. Not once do these people utter a word of thanks. Not once do they realize these are free gifts given to them by me. These people do absolutely nothing to help me. Yet they feel as though they have somehow earned the right to demand of me. It is not their candy, but they call it their own.
I wonder if that is how God feels sometimes. The sun shines and we complain about the heat. He gives us winter and we complain it's too cold. We pray for rain when there is none and whine when it does rain. Are we ever happy with what God gives us? Can we see the blessing although it may not be exactly as we would want it?
God gives us beautiful colors in flowers, birds, sunsets and people. He didn't have to do that. Look at the different shades of green in the trees. He could have made them all the same. He gave us a treat. Are we grateful? Imagine how boring if there was only one kind of flower. How dull life would be if we all looked alike.
He blesses us in so many ways. It is only by His hand that we have anything. Some of us thank Him for our meals, but do we thank Him for the candy? The things that He gives us that He doesn't have to. Out of the richness of His heart He gives us special blessings. These are the little things. The small reward we might learn to take for granted if we are not careful.
Two gentlemen do help me. If it were not for them, I could not accomplish my job. One will not take candy without sharing with the other. They always say thank you. If I give to one and he doesn't see me give to his friend, he will ask on his behalf. What about my friend?
Do we remember others in our prayers? Can we truly enjoy our blessings if we do not share? God blessed Abraham so that he could be a blessing. Can we enjoy our abundance if our brother is left without anything?
I have one that is diabetic. No more candy for me reported sadly one night. I felt bad for him. He was always grateful for whatever candy he received. One day I purchased sugar free candy. He was touched that I bought it just for him. He was simply amazed that he could eat candy again. I think it also amazed him that it was just for him. It is set aside in my bag and waiting for him. He always helps me when I need it. A little secret about this one, we used to be enemies. He would avoid my machine. He would go out of his way to not help me. I reached out one day and offered him candy. Now I can always count on him to help me. The best part is he still helped me even when there was no candy for him.
Do we still serve God when tribulations come our way? Or do we say, forget you. If you are not feeding me candy, I will not work for you. Do we ask what is in it for us? If the blessings are not coming our way, do we run?
Imagine we as sinners are enemies of God, yet He gave us grace. He alone made it possible to have a personal relationship with Him. He made it possible when it was not possible before. When man fell to sin, God did not have to lift us up. When we fail Him, He doesn't have to forgive. He did lift us up out of our sins and He did forgive.
God purchased our souls. The price paid was the blood of His only begotten Son. Can we please remember that? Please let us not forget. It is God who paid the price. It is God who provides the blessings. Let us always remember that we bought none of this ourselves. We couldn't. Thank you Lord for all the blessings you have bestowed upon us, great and small. Thank you for saving our souls. Thank you for our daily bread and thank you for the candy dear Jesus. We are truly grateful.

Copyright© 2003 Regina Mahaffy