How many people have you met in your life on planet Earth? Couple of thousand?
How many of those people have left a mark on you as a person? Good or bad?
I have a friend named Vernon. He is humble, wise and gentle. Over all I would classify him as successful. He has a wonderful family. A business that puts food on the table. Most importantly, you can see that this success comes from a deep relationship with God.
I was having difficulty with a certain person. They were just getting up my nose. Actually, I wanted to break his nose.
I took this problem to Vernon for some advise. Do you have any idea what he told me? It went like this.
"My boy. God put some people in your path to be your sand paper. They will rub you up the wrong way. They will get under your skin. But do you know what the sand paper is?
"No, uncle Vernon." I said, petrified of the answer he was about to share with me.
"To smooth your rough edges." He told me.
I went away from this confused. I did not need smoothing off. I was fine. It was this other person who had the attitude problem, not me. Whats more, who was this person to change me. They had no right to mingle with my perfection.
A couple of months later found me and this person being good mates. As a matter of fact, one of my sand papers ended up being the m.c. at my wedding.
Makes you think doesn't it.
