bad service...so-so food... and blessings...

My wife and I went out to eat the other night at one of our favorite local non-chain restaurants. This particular restaurant had a very good track record with us. Things were always predictable there. I like that. Especially with places I eat at. I think that predictability is solely responsible for the proliferation of restaurant chains all across the country. I immediately think of the popularity of Cracker Barrel. No matter where you go across the country their fried catfish or chicken and dumplins look the same and taste the same. Weirdly enough most of the food servers also look the same. Anyway, my point is people like the consistency of good food and good service when they dine out. So, when your expectations, based on past consistency, are not met it usually means trouble. This is exactly what happened. Now I am a pretty easygoing
non-confrontational guy about almost all things and figure anyone can have a bad day or be off their game. But…when you are in the business of interacting with the public and meeting their needs with some type of service, it’s important to be excellent. I really hate it and feel sad when someone misses an opportunity to be excellent. I guess the reason it bothers me so much is that I have missed the mark at times in the past and still do occasionally. I have always heard it said that the thing that irritates us the most in others is that same thing in us. It’s just easier to see it in others most of the time. I have a different reason to strive for excellence and that is because I am representing the Christ that is inside of me. I desire for who I am on the inside to match up with what people see on the outside. That is called integrity. When I try to be excellent in all that I do then that is being authentic to my true self and is what Christ desires for me. There is a synchronicity that happens. People know and are aware when you are in tune. You are able to meet others needs and expectations with ease and excellence easily flows from you. Some people have described it as being in the zone or the sweet spot. You are in perfect alignment with Gods’ will and purpose for your life because it is absolutely effortless. In Ephesians 5: 15-16, it says,

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

I really like the part of that scripture that says making the most of every opportunity. If we could just remember that one simple idea so many things would be different in our daily lives. One area that would certainly be different is how we view our work no matter what it is that we do. Our work is a daily opportunity to demonstrate grace, forgiveness and to be excellent in interactions with others. If we are detached from that and there is incongruity between what we desire and what God desires for us it shows in how we interact with others. We miss a huge blessing. God blesses us and our gifts and abilities so that we may serve and bless others. Thinking about those many blessings without then asking how God would like us to use those blessings is simply arrogance, greed and selfishness. These blessings are, in fact, a reward for our faithfulness. However, the primary reason that God always rewards our faithfulness is because as faithful people we are called to share our blessings with others. The danger is we start keeping all the blessings to ourselves, either as individuals or as a church. I can assure you that once we are no longer faithful the reward will stop. So, it’s ok if you’re having a bad day…it’s ok if the service is poor and the food is just average. Just remember that you can compensate for the things not in your control and change everything by striving to be excellent and trying to imagine that you possibly may be serving Jesus…