Do You Give People a Chance?

By

Vicki Hinze

A little over a month ago, I had a computer challenge that tested my patience and my character. I took a computer in for a simple repair and while there it was damaged. Since then, it’s been back and forth on trying to figure out when, where, and how.

Throughout the process, I had to constantly remind myself that I do believe in giving people a chance to do the right thing.  Did I still get irritated?  Yes. Annoyed?  Yes. But I tried hard to keep my emotions under lock and key and to look at the situation from the other person’s perspective.

It wasn’t always easy to be fair. I admit it. But I knew it was the right thing to do, and I believed that if I would give the other person the chance, they would do the right thing.

This was a process. It wasn’t an event that occurred and the response was immediate. The resolution took time. A month, actually. But the situation did resolve, and it did so in a way that was fair to both sides.  There were no harsh or nasty words, no accusations or aspersions cast.  The problem was identified, and both sides turned to seeking an equitable solution.

It was fair. And isn’t that what we want—fair solutions?

Oh, I heard advice to go in guns blazing with stringent demands. And I was tempted. But having worked through this challenge with minimal upset, and having reached a fair solution, I’m so glad I didn’t give in to the basic instinct to do that. I’m so glad I gave these people the chance to do the right thing, and I’m grateful that they did.

While it’s hard and requires us to bite our tongues to keep ourselves and our words civil, this event proves that if you give people a chance to do the right thing, more often than not, they will.

And that gives us hope that when the shoe is on the other foot—and we all know it will be—maybe others will resist the temptation to unload and give us the chance to do the right thing, too.

So here’s the question for you today:  Do you give people the chance to do the right thing?

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© 2016, Vicki Hinze. Vicki Hinze is the award-winning bestselling author of nearly thirty novels in a variety of genres including, suspense, mystery, thriller, and romantic or faith-affirming thrillers. Her latest releases are: The Marked Star and In Case of Emergency: What You Need to Know When I Can’t Tell You (nonfiction). She holds a MFA in Creative Writing and a Ph.D. in Philosophy, Theocentric Business and Ethics. Hinze’s website: www.vickihinze.com. Facebook. Books. Twitter. Contact. KNOW IT FIRST! Subscribe to Vicki’s Monthly Newsletter!