A man is walking along the beach. A monkey sits atop a coconut palm. As the man passes, the monkey throws a coconut, hitting the man in the head. The man picks up the coconut, cracks it open and drinks the milk. Mmm it tasted good!
This is a story about about how we respond when difficulty or "perceived difficulty" comes our way.
And so I was getting ready for work. I always fill my thermos with ice for the day. Evidently I left it in the truck last night. So I grab my keys to the truck and my room keys. I go out of the hotel, get into the truck and grab the thermos. When I return to the hotel door, my key will not open the door. What should be blinking green is blinking red. And a coconut has hit me in the head.
I have a choice to make. Anger? Frustration? Or? I decide to take a morning walk. I walk back up the sidewalk, up the hill and around the building to the front of the hotel. I go inside to the front desk. There is no one on duty. I wait. Then I call out. I call out again. Another coconut is hitting me in the head. I want to be upset, but I choose not to be.
Finally Alice shows up and remakes my keys. Do you remember Alice? Remember, she is a person, right? And even if it was my first day in the hotel instead of day 24, she is still a person.
Every day we are hit in the head with coconuts. Things don't go our way. We can choose to be angry or to see the good. Crack open the coconut, drink the milk. See the good.
And so it is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
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