The Lesson of the Forgotten Coffee Cup

"The Lesson of Coffee Cup"

I lived with Josh and Melody Miller's family, on their beautiful farm, in a camper. One day Josh came to me and said:

"A couple of days ago you took a cup of coffee outside. It's still there. Could you bring it in?"

Inside, I boiled. I answered more calmly than I felt:
"Listen, I've got bigger problems than a coffee cup left outside. I'm just trying to hold myself together. What's wrong with you, that you've seen it for days but didn't bother to bring it in yourself, and now you ask me? If I had money, I'd buy my own cup that I could leave wherever I want."

I stormed off, angry and drowning in self-pity. I felt naked and poor. I didn't even have my own coffee cup. I was ready to pack my few belongings and leave – anywhere.

That's when I heard a voice within me: "Calm down and sit."

I sat in silence. After a while, I heard again: "Could you become childlike, so that I can teach you?"

I wondered what that meant. Then I heard the question: "How hard would it have been to go and fetch the cup and return it to the kitchen?" I answered: "Not very hard."

The voice continued: "When Josh asks his children to do something, what do they say?"

In my mind, I saw his kids, who always answered: "Yes, sir" – "Yes, Dad" and did what they were asked.

"Could you become childlike, so that I can teach you?"

Quietly, I said: "Yes. Help me."

I finally went and got the cup, returned to Josh, and said:
"I'll try to take better care of your things. Maybe one day I'll be given something of my own to look after."

That simple moment, that single coffee cup, changed my direction.

It taught me to seek childlikeness and humility, which have opened my eyes to my own actions more than anything else. Childlikeness and humility have taught me to take responsibility for what I do, instead of shifting the blame to others or to circumstances.

No longer I am bitter, no longer I blame others for my down fall.

My own decisions were the sole contributor to the pain and betrayal I was experiencing.I reap what I sow.

I am glad that I have been able to start over. And I feel like I start over every single morning.