Where's my Muffin, Bitch?

One summer, while in university, I worked in the downtown Toronto financial district. My parents' house is right on the subway line, so I would bus down to King subway station every day. A homeless man would be there every Monday morning, holding open the station door, with an empty cup in his hand, and every Monday afternoon, he'd see the bankers back to the trains through the same doors.


Right next to the King subway station doors, was a muffin bakery. This store made the best muffins every morning, hands down. They were made fresh, and they came in about 15 different flavors. They literally served them to you out of the muffin tray! The lineup would go out the door of the store, and would only grow as open store doors wafted the smell into the subway station. I was hooked. Every morning: carrot muffin, with butter.


One week, I decided I would buy the homeless man a muffin. I passed him on my way out of the station, bought two carrot muffins with butter, and returned into the subway station to give him one. For nearly two months, I bought the man a muffin every Monday morning, when I bought mine.

On the second last week at my job, I was running late. By the time I actually got to King station, I was already 10 minutes late, and it would take me another 10 minutes to get to the tower and up to my floor and to my desk. Knowing I didn't have time to get a muffin that day, I rushed past the homeless man, and scurried up to my office.

At the end of the day, stayed 20 minutes late and then headed down into the subway to go home. I walked past the man holding the door open again, and thought nothing of it until I heard, "Where's my muffin, bitch?"

Yeah whatever response you just had... is the one I had. I couldn't believe it! After all this time, I'd bought you at least 8 muffins, and now, on the day when I had a legit excuse for why I couldn't, you cuss me out? Not to mention those muffins are NOT cheap! I was floored. I flashed him a disgusted face and angrily boarded the subway home.


People cannot control HOW they feel when they're confronted with a problem like mine. If it was within everyone's power to always feel happy simply by choice, no one would ever choose to be upset. You can't control how you FEEL when insulted. You can however control how you're going to respond to a comment like that, and the difference in response can sometimes indicate the presence of the Holy Spirit within someone.. I vowed that on the next Monday morning, I would buy him a muffin.

Except life also has a funny way of telling you that you shouldn't waste the little time that you have. On that last Monday of working downtown, Muffin Bitch man was not there, and I'd lost my chance to show the evidence of God's presence in me.

The challenge:

1. Out of faith comes good deeds. Exercise yours.
James 2:20-22 (NLT)
How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless? [21] Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? [22] You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.

2. Be slow to anger and quick to forgive - for you have been forgiven for much more. Your response to being sinned against will demonstrate Christ's impact (or lack thereof) in your life.
Matthew 5:39-42 (NLT)
But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. [40] If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. [41] If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. [42] Give to those who ask, and don't turn away from those who want to borrow.

3. Don't waste time. God gave it to us to use efficiently. Act now while it is within your power to do so before you lose your chance.
Proverbs 3:27-28 (NLT)
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your power to help them. [28] If you can help your neighbor now, don't say, "Come back tomorrow, and then I'll help you."