It's one of my favorite ways to spend a Friday night with my husband. We drove up to the city and were doing some much-needed shopping at stores we don't frequent often. Everything was going great. We made our monthly stop at Sam's Club to stock up on some bulk items.
As we were checking out, I told my husband to go get something to eat at the food court because he was starving. Once I was finished taking care of the groceries, I headed over to the food court. The scene displayed before me was horrifying.
My sweet husband was standing patiently in line as three women--all different walks of life--were shouting at the two employees attempting to get pizzas made and hot dogs handed out. As I stood silently by, I watched the scene continue to unfold.
Several other people in the food court stood by and watched with me as we witnessed the ugly truth about three demanding women.
One angry woman was carrying on about the two pizzas she had just ordered five minutes ago. One was ready and one was on its way out. But the two men running the food court weren't moving fast enough for her. Another woman interjected and said she had been waiting longer and wanted her two hot dogs immediately. And the third woman cut both women in line and demanded her cup be refilled with sweet tea since the machine was out.
It was at this point that my husband abandoned the cash register and hurried toward me. "I can't believe how rude these women are being. I can't stand in line one second longer. We're leaving."
As we headed out the door, I looked back to see all three women--two with food in their arms--continuing with their tirade. And I shook my head.
Here's what God showed me as I watched these women demand what they felt they deserved:
1. Their beauty was distorted.
I mean this as kindly as I can: women, when you are shouting and carrying on, especially in a public space, you immediately lose your beauty. These were beautiful who appeared to be well-taken care of. But once they began to open their mouths and spew demands and threats, their beauty was gone. And they projected arrogance and a rotten spirit.
2. Their behavior repelled people.
The food court cleared out fairly quickly. Many families enjoying an inexpensive meal began to pick up their things and head towards the exit. They could not get away from these women fast enough. The kind of behavior they were exhibiting was far from pleasing to the rest of us out enjoying a quiet evening.
I know it's easy to fall into the trap of demands and threats. As women, we sometimes have a problem holding out tongues. But I can tell you with much experience that there is nothing in this world worth berating anyone over. Not the people working an honest job to serve you. Not our children. Not our husbands. No one.
When we begin demanding things and using our behavior to show disapproval, we destroy the environment we're in and we destroy the emotions of the people around us.
As my mother always said to me growing up, "Honey, you can catch a whole lot more bees with honey than you can with vinegar."
Choose your attitude and your words wisely. Or you may just end up becoming one of those women Solomon speaks so lowly of in the Bible five different times in Proverbs:
"...a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof." Proverbs 19:13
"Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife." Proverbs 21:9
"Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife." Proverbs 21:19
"Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife." Proverbs 25:24
"A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in the rainstorm..." Proverbs 27:15
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