Yesterday, I waited on an angel. It's my job to serve, and so that's what I do. Sometimes it's tiring and thankless, and, I'll be honest, I just don't want to do it anymore.
She came in and sat down in my section. I sighed a little sigh inside almost wishing she would have sat somewhere else. I'd have welcomed the break in serving to do anything else--though there were no "choice" tasks remaining on the list. So anyway, there she sat, and I went to her. I mustered up my last real smile and made myself less important than the task at hand.
I took her order, as is usual, and set about to getting her something to drink. When I came back with it to take her order she had begun to read a tiny book. I asked her about it, trying to make friendly conversation, and we chatted for a bit--probably longer than was strictly allowable--before I went away to place her order.
She had told me that it was a book of quotes and sayings she kept in her purse for times when she was waiting and would read it hoping to find inspiration.
Each time I came back with her food, to check on her, to clear dishes, give a refill, etc, we talked a bit more. Sometimes she would say that she had read something fun or inspirational and other times she would say there was nothing new. Once, she quoted a page back to me. It said: "Make yourself necessary to somebody."
She explained that, to her, that meant that we need to live our lives with purpose. That to simply go about living day-to-day just to get through it wasn't enough. We have to live as though we are living for a reason--and to do that, we need to find a reason.
Writing this, I am realizing that I didn't really hear it that way yesterday. I just thought she was a nice lady with some tid-bits of wisdom. But thinking back, I realize that it was just what I needed to hear.
Honestly, I have been going about my days hoping that they would end. Soon. Any one of you who reads this could easily tell me that simply isn't the right way to live. And you would be entirely correct.
Make yourself necessary. . . How do I do that? How did she do that? All she did was come into a new restaurant, take out a book, and talk to a waitress, but she helped me change my outlook on life. In 30-odd minutes, she changed a life.
Shouldn't that be our goal each day? Make every encounter life-changing. In every interaction, show the world who Jesus is.
As I went to clear her table, I picked up a napkin off the tip thinking it was trash. There was something hard inside, so I opened it. Inside it was the tiny pink book of quotes and a note that simply said, "Enjoy! (="
To my angel: You made my day, you changed my life, and hopefully together we will change the world.
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