I just happened to ask a few of my friends in Bangalore this question – what is the first word that comes to your mind when I say Bangalore auto drivers? Here are a few answers I received – Rash Driving, Rude, Tampered auto meters, asking for higher rate than meter, always will take wrong route if the person traveling does not know the way………. For those who have lived in Bangalore for some part of your life, well, you would need no explanation.
I work in electronic city which is about 13 -14 km away from where I stay and usually either the auto drivers are just not ready to come there or they demand a higher rate (upto double the usual meter). It came as a surprise then when one day I come out to catch a rick to go to office and I find an auto driver parked there by the road. Lets call this man Mr. Good. So I walked upto Mr. Good and asked him if he would drop me to electronic city and Surprise! he said - Yes, without any argument, with a smile on his face and for no extra charge. And while traveling as well he took the correct route, no roaming around the town making the meter run high and hence no extra meter, no extra charge. He wasn’t rude. He was polite and courteous. And to the bangaloreans who don’t believe this – I’m not exaggerating.
On the inside of the auto I found picture of Jesus on one side and a few other Christian pictures on the auto which made me realize Mr. Good was a Christian. Wow!! This was amazing. I’m sure no person traveled on this auto without admiring Christianity. This man told the gospel in the best way, he lived the gospel. I remember thinking as I sat there – how I wish everyone who came in contact with me felt just the way I was feeling then. That would be my Father’s name glorified.
The world is such that everything you and I do will point to our creator. Every good we do will bring glory to him and every bad we do will dishonour him. There is something I am reminded of here. Most of my relatives are very conservative. There are so many things which wouldn’t seem wrong to me but would be like a very big wrong to them. I never used to care about what they said or felt till I realized that they were actually pointing their fingers at my parents. They didn’t blame me or my siblings, they were blaming my parents. That changed my entire look or stand. Now am very careful when am among them, to do things their way. I do that just so that they speak good about my parents. Because what they say about my parents matters to me. Every good thing about me would earn good points for my parents and every bad about me would earn bad points for my parents. Its hard roaming in a silk saree for a function in a place as hot as Chennai in mid afternoon but it’s a small price to pay when compared to what I reap in return.
Isnt life a lot just like that? Ive heard a lot of people say this – Christians are the worst hypocrites. Its upto us to make a change. Its time we stood and took care to see that our Father isn’t blamed. Seeing to it that my Father gets only good points. Living my life carefully so that everyone who sees us or contacts us would leave with a wonderful feeling and that is our Father’s name glorified. Being careful in what I talk, in how I behave, trying hard to be perfect in everything. In a world of darkness our Father’s light needs to shine through. In darkness, light (no matter how faint) will definitely be noticed. Just like in a city of rash and rude drivers, Mr. Good definitely stood apart.
Whatever stands apart is noticed. And remember, every good we do earns good points for our Father in heaven and every bad we do dishonours him.
Matthew 5:14-16:14You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16Let your light so shine before men that they may see your [a]moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and [b]recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.
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