Is it My Pleasure? Is it Yours?
My friend Katy is back with a lovely post. She received permission from Chick-fil-a to blog about this. I think it’s awesome.
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I have been working for Chick-fil-a part-time for about 18 months. I was attracted to this company because they model hospitality – and it just so happens that God has given me that gift, seemed like a good fit. The training material was wonderful and while I still have a lot to learn, it makes sense to me. It truly is my pleasure to go in a couple of times a week and serve (and get paid on top of it!). Around a year ago, about 6 months after beginning this job, I was doing a devotional one day and felt convicted by the Holy Spirit. Is it REALLY my pleasure?
I’m giving away a little business secret here but Chick-fil-a encourages the employees to give something called Second Mile Service. As are many aspects of the Chick-fil-a business model, this one is taken straight from the Bible. In the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5, Jesus challenges our way of thinking with statements such as “if you hate, it is as bad as murder” and “if someone hits you, turn the other cheek”. Verse 41 states “If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.” In biblical times, a Roman soldier could compel someone to carry his pack for one mile. I’m sure this was cause for much complaining. Jesus told his listeners to stop grudgingly counting their steps and instead to carry the pack a second mile. Vs 16 of the same chapter “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see so that everyone will praise your Father in heaven.”
At Chick-fil-a I am encouraged to be THAT light by giving second mile service. Not serving a customer the things he has asked for but getting to know that customer, making a connection and serving him an extra (maybe carrying the food, maybe just a smile, maybe a mint at the end of his meal). God actually made me to serve in this way, no matter what business or walk of life I am in, or where I am serving. God made me in His image therefore it is very difficult for me to experience fulfillment or the abundant life until I lose my sense of self-consciousness and develop a sense of others-consciousness. Proverbs 11:25 says “he who refreshes others will be refreshed” And I want to be refreshed!
So, is it really my pleasure? As I said earlier, I love my job. I love being there, being nice, being real – But what about other places? And that was the conviction – what about at home? Is it my pleasure to serve those that I love the most? Why is it that with strangers my smile is natural but at home, after a long day, the smile is gone? All day long I can say “Can I get you a refill” but when my child lets me know she is thirsty I bluntly tell her “You know where the cups are”. And that is when I realized that I had things a little messed up. I pray. I pray that God blesses our restaurant each day that I work, I pray that my heart is in the right place to be able to serve, I pray for God to open my eyes to the needs of the people around me (staff and customer). Sure, I pray for my family, I pray for my children and I pray that I am able to meet their needs but I think I forget that their little needs are just as important as the big shelter/food/transportation needs. What it boiled down to was that I needed a change of heart. Luke 6:45 says “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” What are the words I am saying to my family? What is in my heart? What I had was a heart for loving on people (except the ones I love). What I need is a heart filled with the Love of my Savior, overflowing. James 3:17 “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.”
Sincerity: The quality or condition of being sincere; genuineness, honesty, earnestness, freedom from hypocrisy. Ever so slowly God is working in me to become sincere in my service. Daily I am taking steps to be filled with Christ by reading a chapter of Proverbs (you know there ARE 31 chapters), by praying, by worship through Holy Spirit filled music, by giving praise to my Savior and thanksgiving for all He has done for me. Matthew 25 Jesus teaches about the final judgement, He acknowledges the service of those who have lived and the people question Him saying they don’t remember serving Christ and God replies in vs 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” I am learning that my pleasure is in serving Christ, not people. I am being refined, changed and I am still on the journey to serving as a pleasure. ~Katy
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So what about you? Is it your pleasure to serve in your home? Do you need accolades to thrive? Does the concept of serving like Christ motivate or offend you? How does that play into the lies of this culture in this day and age?
So glad you are here – dare you to share what you are learning from Him! We love the journey and love that you are on it with us.
Love to you,
~Nina
Love this, shared with my women’s group. We are all seeking to see from the heart of God. I can see the motivation varies, the intention too, but ultimately, we all want to please our Father and operate from the overflow of His love. Thanks for sharing this
Exactly Kim, overflow. That is my “theme” for 2013 – joy overflowing. Thank you for sharing with others. Sometimes I’m so thankful that no one can SEE motivation …. and then I’m awakened to His presence again and I realize that God sees my heart. :/ ~katy
Ah such a loving and humbling post, making me reconsider my serving and what pleasure I get from it. Thank you for your honesty and your love, and for posting here with Nina. God bless you!
Thanks Shanyn – God is growing each of us. ~katy
I blew an opportunity to serve last night. We are on our vacation right now and after a long busy day we came back to our hotel showered, got into some comfy clothes and sat down to relax before bed. I over heard my husband telling my 9 year old daughter that he wanted some snacks and maybe I’d get out and go to the store. Well I really didn’t want to get out so I didn’t say anything waiting to see if he’d say anything and he didn’t. The only thing is I hurt him by not offering to get out and by the time I changed my mind and said something about getting out, he didn’t want me to go for him anymore. He wanted it to be my pleasure to serve him since we had spent the day together with him doing things that brought pleasure to me….(mani, pedi as well as a few other things). I don’t like that I had a selfish moment. I do want to make it up to him but I don’t know that I will be able to. I’m planning on getting out early this morning and getting us some snacks in our hotel room for today when he wakes up as well as a card saying sorry. I think the main thing though is to learn from this. To guard against justifying a selfish moment just because I’m tired. Also, I must not be too hard on myself for the slip up, but use this as a good reminder to stay awake in my marriage and to not start getting lazy in my actions but to be loving on purpose and to be looking for ways to do so. I pray he is receptive of my gift that I’m planning to bring to him this morning. Thank you for this post, it’s what I needed to hear. On this respect journey with you Nina.
Michelle
You are exactly right Michelle, it is easy to become “lazy”, sadly I try to justify that with “but I ….(worked an 8 hour day, didn’t sleep well last night, just sat down, haven’t had my dinner” etc. When I am in-tune with the Holy Spirit though I am so certain that Jesus would have never said any of those things to another human whether stranger or family. Oh how I am still learning. Don’t be hard on yourself for the past but I am thankful that this was able to help you see – God works through so many things. ~katy
So glad 2 learn I’m not the only one who struggles with serving her family when I serve others so effortlessly. Thanks for the encouragement
Yes, Michelle, thankful to not be alone in our weaknesses. So much more thankful to have heard from the Holy Spirit and to be aware and changing. Over a year now and I still fail daily. Hoping He continues to be patient with me and that I learn to lean on Him more. ~katy
just want to say i am so happy you got permission to use CFA, that is a step so many forget to do. of course this makes me appreciate CFA even MORE!!! great company. great post.!!
They are indeed GREAT Nancy. This was actually written in the beginning as part of a presentation that we did in our store. I am humbled that God is using it – honestly I just wrote it out for some accountability. ~katy
As I was just nearly counting the minutes to bedtime, trying to not get aggravated over the near constant questions, I saw this post hit my email. Humbled by your words, and a bit ashamed of my thinking tonight, I will pray for the Lord to help me find pleasure in serving my family. Thank you!
The end of the day is always hardest for me. Hope you were able to find some unexpected joy in the last moments with your sweet family last night. It was my pleasure to share. ~katy