Fruit Punch

I stopped by the kitchen as the crew was preparing for the Wednesday evening church meal. There was some friendly banter and a few compliments flew through the air. And then it happened. I asked for something to drink.

Now that may seem a small request to you, but these were busy people, focused on a mission, operating under a deadline. And I didn’t ask for a glass of water, a task I could complete on my own (no, really, I could achieve that.) I asked for fruit punch before it was fully prepared for the beverage table.

What was the response I received? It could have been, “The water spout is right over there,” followed by a head nod aimed out away from the work area. Or they might have supplied a barbed sentence like, “In a bit of a hurry, are we?” Neither of these scenarios even comes close to what actually happened.

The young lady who was preparing to get up to her elbows in tea and juice simply said, “We’ve got our first customer!” Then she poured a full glass of just exactly what I had sauntered into the room in search of.

I left with a cup of refreshment and a smile. I had been treated well in spite of my intrusion. I had been lifted up instead of pushed down. I had been affirmed and not denied. I had seen how I should treat others. Yeah for places where people do it right!

Tim Gramly
Education Pastor
SHBC
April 7, 2009