Rantings of a soon to be former retail employee

I think it was my pastor, Barry Jass, who first spoke of how the modern world seems to have lost most of it's courtesy and replaced it with efficiancy. Over the last 7 months at Panera and 1 year at Border's a few years before, I have come to see this as blazingly true. A huge majority of the people I serve expect expediant service with a smile, even when the employees, like myself are under a large amount of pressure. Say, for instance the 16th person in a 30+ person line, wants a very specific order and s/he becoms irrate and surpirsed when the employee messes up a single aspect or, horror of horrors, needs part of the the order repeated because s/he didn't get totally the first time. The patiant and helpful customer seems a rarity at best, and yet they all expect us to be cheerfully efficiant. Of course I understand if some of the spicifics are health related, but most of the time this simply is not the case. Never mind the fact that most of the time, we're barely paid enough to live off of. Panera pays me $7.72 p/h and Borders paid $6.50p/h. Oh, the injustice of it all ;-)

Seriously though. I do think we, as Christians, need to set the example and raise the bar on how we treat others, Whether they are fellow Christians or not. It shouldn't matter if you will never see this person again in your life, they are still a beloved creation of God whom He longs to know more deeply, and your kindness may help to open the way for another's witness. So, here are a few suggestions to ponder the next time you're waiting in line:

1. Remeber, above all else, the person behind the counter is just as much a human being as you are and deserves to be treated as such,

2. If you manage to get a customer service rep. who really does everything exactly the way you like it and smiles cheerfully the whole time through, do be impressed. You are truly in the presence of a living miracle. Such a person deserves, at the least, a good tip.

3. Be gracious and patiant while the employee takes your order and carries it out. S/he has probably had a long day full of busy, pushy customers and the last thing they need is another one.

In closing, let me remind of one of the lessons Jesus taight us: Love one another as I have loved you (Jn 13:34-35). He loved you enough to come and serve you by dying on your behalf and He calls you to do likewise for your brothers and sisters. Think on that, the next time you find yourself in a rather long line with your patiance running thin. I hope you are all well. God bless each of you!