The case of the defective lights.

Recently I purchased some work lights like those pictured to the right. They were from an online discounter of products made in another country. I had to wait some 4 weeks for them to arrive. But I had been lured by the great price. When they finally did arrive, guess what! They didn’t work. So I put them on the charger. Not even the charger worked! Grrrrr!

Returning items to this company based out of that country across a big ocean is a real hassle. So I was pretty bugged. I muttered some things to myself about that company pawning their inferior products on us. About their cumbersome return policy that inclines people to not even make the effort. And therefore about their less than worthy ethics. And so on and so forth. I grumbled that I’d never buy from that company again and I’d encourage people to stay away from them.

Well, these work lights have sat on the charger for several weeks now. I guess I hoped they’d somehow be resurrected to life. No chance.

So in desperation the other day I decided to see if they would work if I changed out the lithium battery with a battery from another light I have. I unscrewed the light to find… a protective vinyl sticker on one end of the battery! “What’s this?” I heard myself say. “Do they place these on the batteries to protect them from discharging during shipping? Would the light work if the vinyl sticker were removed?”

Sure enough, the light worked perfectly once the vinyl sticker was removed. What’s more, it charged perfectly as well. Ooof!

I was chagrined to realize how much energy I had expended in my thought-rants against the company and the country where the lights came from. No, chagrined is not a strong enough word. Actually, I was convicted by the Spirit of God about how quick I had been to question the integrity, assign blame, and judge the motives and ethics of the people who sold me the lights.

The Lord brought several Scripture texts to mind:

• Let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger… (James 1:19)
• If you had known what this means, “I desire compassion…” you would not have condemned the innocent… (Mt 12:7)
• Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned…. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return. (Lk 6:37-38)

Lord, here I am again—unworthy of Your mercy, grace, and compassion. But on account of these, here I am again—pleading Your transformative work through the power of Jesus Christ.