When I first started my job, I felt this overwhelming realization of just how much darkness and lostness there is in the world. People don't realize it, but we see how you interact with one another, we hear your conversations. We know you're lonely, fighting, joyous, on that first date, on that 1635th date, hate your kid, hate your husband, can't get over how much you love your husband, are cheating on your wife, are hiding an office relationship. We know.
And my coworkers. Before I started, I decided to find something good about each one of them. And I have. I truly love each one of my coworkers and managers. I think they're wonderful people and good at what they do. But you all just don't see how much your chirpy servers drink and smoke and cry about when they leave or how much yelling and attitude happens back in the kitchen on your behalf. You just don't.
Gentlemen, ladies, your words have power over us. Regardless of how your day is going, we are going to treat you the best that we know how. In return, though, we are often treated a little better than dogs by you. You cut us off, you snap your fingers at us, you poke us with your forks, you are quick to tear into us if we make the slightest mistake.
Which brings me to my point. At every moment in every situation and location, there is someone who could use encouragement. It sounds cliche, but you just never know what's going on in someone's life, so treat each person as though they were Christ. It doesn't matter if we will never see one another again, did I behave toward you as though you were someone worthy of love? Did you treat me as though I had any value in your eyes?
I'm not attempting to change the world through waitressing at a mexican food place. That doesn't mean that I can't pray my way through each interaction and hope I leave in my wake the aroma of Christ, without giving you a card or even telling you that I'm a Christian.
No comments:
Post a Comment