Feb 23, 2013: the "Sunday Crowd"

Ya know what I got to thinking about? As Christians, the body is called to be the THE MOST giving of all people. We are called to consciously reach out in kindness and make an everlasting impression of Love on those we come in contact with. Even when someone does not deserve forgiveness, it is our responsibility to forgive, since we as Christians understand Grace better than the world..... Here is the catch: As a teen and young adult I worked as a server at several restaurant chains. The one re-occuring theme that all places had in common: every server at every place DID NOT look forward to the Sunday church-going crowd!  It was unanimously known that Sunday was the WORST tip day, and the most demanding of all crowds! How can this be? Shouldn't servers be filled with excitement every Sunday that the BIG givers are headed to lunch/dinner? Shouldn't servers get to breathe a sigh of relief because the group of Christians is coming in and they all are filled with compassion, patience, and understanding? When I share these thoughts with folks who don't work in the service industry, they are quick to say, "I tip based on how good the service was, and how friendly the Server was." That is all fine and good, but as a Christ-like model what would speak grace that server more, "you're unworthy of this tip-gift, so I'll give you what you deserve, OR you're unworthy of this tip-gift but I have mercy on you and will GIVE you more than you deserve?" People, if we are ministering wherever we go, we as the body are going to be the BIGGEST givers, even if we don't have a lot to give. It is us, the body, whom all service workers around the world should feel a longing to know what it is that makes us SO beautifully different. I encourage you to be the person who gives more, you will point heavenward and that is our purpose for living.