Grace Community Christian Church

 

Archived Things Above

Macaroni Grill (4/5/05)

I think I've discovered the secret to winning the world to Christ. Well, maybe not the world, but at least America. Or, at least that part of America that feeds us.

It was Palm Sunday, & my oldest daughter & I were trying out the new Macaroni Grill Restaurant for the first time. Our server was a friendly young man named Dave, who made an immediate impression with his ability to legibly write his name upside-down on the paper table cloth with two crayons! (I can barely write my own name right-side up with a pen!)

Because our church service here at GC3 lets out ahead of the traditional "noon hour", we were able to beat all the other "believers" to lunch. But soon, their benedictions had been pronounced, & the assault of God's people on the Frederick dining industry began in earnest.

"So, Dave," I inquired casually, motioning to the growing line of patrons, "be straight with me. As a professional food server, what's your opinion of the crowd showing up to eat now?"

"You want it straight?" he doublechecked.

"Sure. I'm just curious, " I said, trying to be nonchalant.

"I can't stand 'em. Sunday's the absolute worst day of the week for me. The people are tedious, rude, impatient & cheap."

Wow. He didn't even have to pause & think about it. The uncomfortable adjectives just flowed like a dam burst from his formerly smiling lips. I had the feeling he'd shared these sentiments before, likely with fellow servers on many Sunday mornings as they waited for the hypocrites to show up & treat them like dirt.

But I wasn't done. In my pursuit for fair & balanced opinion-gathering, I asked him another question.

"So, like, what's your favorite day of the week? When is being a professional food server really a blast?"

"That's easy," he said. "The Friday & Saturday night crowd. Frederick's pretty much a bedroom community anymore, with lots of people fighting the 270 commute all week. Come the weekend, it's a much more liberal & kicked back crowd. I mean, they can see it's crowded & they don't care. They know I'm busy & may take a little longer taking care of them, & that's ok."

I never did reveal to Dave that I was a Christian, much less a Christian leader. I could tell he liked me & I didn't want to jeopardize that! But inside, my heart was breaking for the negative stereotype that I know so many in his field have towards the "church crowd."

And I don't think Dave had an axe to grind, either, because when I asked my final question, he didn't answer as I expected.

"So, would you say the Friday & Saturday night crowd is a lot more fun?"

His face scrunched up a bit at that, & this time he paused before answering. "Nah, I wouldn't say that," he replied. "Actually, I probably don't get more than one or two fun customers a day, at best."

Embarrassed & ashamed & suddenly very reflective, I let his words sink in deeply. Through his honest assessment, I knew I had been given a gift, & I wanted its implications to percolate thoroughly through my spirit. How could we who endlessly adore & thank God for his "grace" have so miserably failed as a body to reflect that same "grace" to the people who serve us? Perhaps a little less praying-before-we-eat & a bit more loving-as-we-eat is in order.

And then it hit me: What if every Christ-follower who eats out at a restaurant after church on Sundays determined to be the absolute, single best customer their server had experienced that week?! What if the "church crowd" was polite & patient & considerate & yes, fanatically generous with their tip?! What if Sunday afternoon became the single most loved & anticipated & profitable shift for those in the food service industry?! That single change alone would probably do more to impact America than all the sermons preachers preach & all the pious "Amens!" congregations pronounce.

I suppose I could have challenged Dave a bit on his observations. I mean, certainly not all Christians are despicable when it comes to eating out. I could even have spoken up defensively as one of the "exceptions". But I sensed God leading me to just listen. And to play a game of Tic Tac Toe with him on the paper table cloth. It was fun.


Jim Dewar --