Charlie

I met Charlie at a time in my life when a lot of folks had been lying to me, I'd been taken advantage of, I was about to give up and settle for the way things were and just forget about it. I was discouraged and angry and frustrated at knowing things were broken and not having anyone to help me fix them. 

Charlie...is my mechanic. 

When we met, my car had been to the shop a dozen times in half as many months, had at least 10 different parts replaced for thousands of dollars, and still had the same problems it started with. I was being run-around and taken advantage of, and I knew it, but I felt powerless to do anything differently. No one would treat me like I had any knowledge at all about anything in the world when, in fact, I was actually pretty car-savvy (and world-savvy, but that's beside the point). 

Through a friend, I was told about Charlie and his little shop, and after a lot of convincing myself, I made one last-ditch effort to find help in the world. 

And I found it. 

Not only was Charlie able to actually fix my car, but he was super-friendly about it, did the work at a reasonable price, and stood behind it. He has since fixed my car several times, as well as taking over my oil changes. And on the occasions when I've run into weird little things that I've just needed a little help with, Charlie has always been willing to help...and not even let me pay him for the few minutes of his time. (Like just this week when he helped me change a brake light because I could not get the darned thing to come loose.) 

The thing is, I absolutely trust Charlie with my car. One hundred percent. At this point, he's proven to me that he can handle things, that he'll be honest with me, and that he's reasonable about his business practices. 

And he doesn't think anything of it.

It would be easy for a guy like Charlie, with the knowledge and tools and reputation he has, to come in and think he's the hero. To try to be a savior. To relish in the idea of being the one to rescue someone...and maybe (in my traumatic experiences in life) hold it over someone's head. Make them feel like they owe him. Make them wonder when the day is coming that he's cashing in his favors. 

But I don't feel like that with Charlie. Charlie is just a good guy. Doing good in his community and running an honest business and building up an amazing customer base because of it (it's harder to get my car in with him now, but that's just a testament to who he is). I'm thankful that I found him. 

The thing is...I want to be more like him. When I say that I know how easy it would be to come in as the hero, it's because I have a streak in me that likes to come in as the hero. I've noticed over the past few years that it's breaking quite a bit, but it's still there. I like being the savior. I like being the hero. I like being the rescuer. 

Then I think about the trust that I have in Charlie, the confidence I have in the service he provides, and I recognize what a gift to the world it is to just be a good person. 

Because someone out there is being lied to, taken advantage of. They're ready to give up and give in and just settle for less. They're ready to accept broken things. They're discouraged and angry and frustrated and broken...

...and one good person can change so much of that. 

Lord, help me to be a good person.