A Fable

I like to think that I'm making a lot of progress in my spiritual walk.  And then something comes along and knocks me back. 

I am debating how to convey this without getting in trouble.  Here's a Fable: 

A man and a woman open up a small business, which is affiliated with some un-named government agency.  They are in vending.  They are told only they should retain keys to the vending machine, except for the repairman.  They MUST give the repairman a copy of the vending machine key because "He can come and fix them when you're not around".  The repairman is self-employed.  We will disregard the fact that it is common practice to pay the repairman at the time of service, and that NONE of these "repairs while you are gone" ever occured. 

So, these hypothetical vendors, call them John and Jane, run their business.  However, the money isn't adding up.  They are losing about $300 a month.  Jane suspects the repairman.  John says maybe she is stealing.  "Take my key" she replies.  She insists he take her key.  "Take all the money out before I service the machine.  I don't care, because I'm not stealing.  The only thing I have ever done is make change and put the large bill in the coin bucket." 

Then she throws down a challenge.  "Change all the vending machine locks.  I will install them.  You keep the only key.  The repairman has never used his key to fix our machines.  Take his key away and watch your money come back.  Take my key away.  You keep the only one". 

John consents to this and tells the repairman, who says "You can't do that". 
"Why can't I change my locks?"
"I won't help you install them." 
"That's OK, Heather (I mean Jane) will do it herself". 
"You can't do that because I can't fix your machines."
{remember how Jane said "Take my key?  Go ahead, I have nothing to hide?"  - yeah}
It continues, with John slowly realizing that the repairman is panicking over this keychange, and there's only one reason he would.  Even more determined, he orders the keys. 

Jane installs the locks, herself.  The repairman makes a big production out of "returning the key".  Most insulting, he offers a complete fairytale about why the money HAD gone missing, but wouldn't anymore.  It is a complete lie and very insultingly designed to "defend" the repairman.  That's the final straw for John, who had still held out hope the repairman would be vindicated. 

Sure enough, they money came back.  John apologized to Jane, and never called that repairman again.  He called another guy, who was cheaper, came faster, and did way better work.  No one robbed him again because he and his wife kept the only keys to the vending machine.  They let the un-named government agency know what had happened, to be told "You're not the first ones to say this", and they all lived happily ever after. 

So, say I knew Jane.  I know Jane still has a lot of baggage as regards the thieving guy.  To her, it wasn't even that he robbed her (I'm used to that by now).  It's that he robbed her hardworking, disabled, husband.    That she had watched him agonizing when the numbers didn't add up and that made her very angry at the thief on his behalf. 

That, she, like me (wink) is very protective of her husband and very aggressive in defending him.  So, that was made clear to me: I need to forgive this man.  If I were Jane, I mean. 

So, I'll be working on it.  If I were Jane.