An Excellent Spirit

This is Alex, and he restored my faith yesterday in car repair facilities. I brought my car to the dealer for a leak that was supposedly fixed, twice, and returned a third time in the exact same place. The water repairman who contracted with the dealer was still responsible to fix it based on the terms of the warranty. After I biked an hour home from dropping off the car, he called. He insisted the leak was coming from the windshield, not the roof rack which he'd repaired in the warranty. Thus, he claimed no responsibility in fixing the leak. I had to bike immediately back to the dealer  (an hour- and BTW, I'd forgotten I'd never eaten lunch with two solid hours of biking under my belt...my loose belt.) Now, a little woozy with hunger, I had to take the still leaking car to an auto glass shop.

I told the water repairman this didn't make sense. The leak was in exactly the same place as the leak he had fixed, then fixed again, and now it had reappeared a third time. It stretched incredulity that there was a new source. He was adamant. So was I. Either he had misdiagnosed the source of the first leak (which was why it kept leaking,) or he was unwilling to honor the warranty and thus concocted a new source. Either way about it, if he didn't fix the leak, I wanted my money back. While he did agree to refund my money, he hung up on me. I am growing in my understanding of anger, and never lost my temper, despite feeling I was not being treated honestly.

In the end, I drove to a place called Auto Glass Now (4226 South Blvd., Charlotte. 704-522-9008.) Since we leave on vacation in 3 days, I had no time to waste. They agreed to work on it immediately, and quoted me a very reasonable price. The receptionist could not have been friendlier or more professional. Her smile was genuine, something one doesn't often see in people greeting customers day after day.

Alexis Deya, the mechanic, took my van in immediately. He had to first drop open the ceiling panel, then flood the roof and windshield with water to find the leak. He called me over so he could show me the clear path of the water leak. It was categorically not the windshield leaking (as the water mechanic at the dealer had insisted,) but the roof rack, as I'd suspected. The path of the water was marked clearly by a yellowish stain.

Now I had to pay twice and the work still wasn't done. Auto Glass Now doesn't do any service but replacing or repairing auto glass, so I had to find someone else to fix the roof rack leak.
"What do I owe you?" I asked, calculating how much less fun vacation was going to be as my wad of bills grew slimmer.
"Nothing. Just remember us if you ever need glass work."

Alex told me he takes pride in his work, and never wished to gouge any client. He wants to be known for his honesty and quality workmanship. If only everyone felt that way! What a wonderful world it would be. The Bible tells us we are to work as "for the Lord, not for men." Alex has the proper perspective on work.

Keeping that verse in mind should revolutionize every action. Do all things knowing we are working for God, and His standards are our guide. Ask Alex. He could have fixed and made money on a nonexistent windshield leak and I would not have known that wasn't the problem. He could have charged me for his time and effort in searching for the cause of the leak. It would have been his right, in diagnosing the problem. However, his pride in his work, and his integrity far exceeds any profits he might increase through unnecessary, unfinished, shoddy, or substandard work. His kindness in not asking me to pay for his time finding out he could not help me was an act of mercy that meant more than he could know. I didn't return home until 6 p.m., and had been out since 10 a.m. trying to get my car fixed. I was exhausted, but the compassion and excellence of a stranger made the wearying day a heavenly proclamation.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.

If you live in the Charlotte area and need auto glass work, call Alex at Auto Glass Now . And if you need body work, including roof rack leaks, call Metrolina Collision (803) 548-4239. My leak, thanks to them, is gone and my faith in humankind restored twice in one day.

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Daniel 6:3 

Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

Philippians 4:8 

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Colossians 3:23 

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.