A Servant Heart

So far, my entire working career has been in the service industry. My first job was at a Starbucks Coffee in McKinney where I slaved behind an espresso machine at all hours of the day for a year and a half. Finally, my "break through" came when I was promoted to Shift Supervisor of a new and fancy store that opened in the Watters Creek shopping center in Allen. I slaved behind said espresso machine at more reasonable hours of the day, at slightly higher increase in pay. That lasted for almost a year, until April 28, when I was minding my dear sweet business stirring mocha and my manager called me into the back room to "ask me something." I walked back there, whisk in hand, and turned the corner to hear him blurt out "our store is closing in a month." Okay. Great. What does a senior in college who goes to school full time and doesn't have any real credentials do? That's right. Serve people.

So I took my sister's job at the JP Morgan Chase branch that she had just recently vacated so that she could stay at home with her about-to-be-born-baby. I did earn that job fair and square, beating out 5 other interviewees, however it is just the same as Starbucks, but with different job requirements and a slightly calmer, quieter, and better smelling environment. (Oh, you might think to yourself "What!? How in the world could you not like the smell of working in Starbucks!?" Well, I did! For two and a half years, I loved it every day! But when you leave work and need to go somewhere afterwards, and you smell like stale coffee, sour milk, have mocha and syrup caked to your bleached and dirty clothes, and have whipped cream in your hair... it gets old.) After three months of working at Chase, I've already seen enough to get discouraged all over again..

At Starbucks, most customers expect you to remember their drink after one visit to your store, then they want you to anticipate when they are coming in next so you will have it ready when they just happen to stop by, not charge them for their extra anything, smile, be friendly, dance a jig and stand on your head and bow down before them all while making their drink. Also, you have to oblige. And if you don't, they get mad. Very mad. And then they want it for free.
At Chase, a customer will pull up to the drive through, send their transaction through the tube, then buzz immediately to ask what is taking so long. OR they will see that 3 people are in the drive through, come inside, and throw a fit when you still help the people in the drive through first because they've been waiting longer.

Really? Have any of these people every worked for someone else, or had someone ask something of them? How do they feel when it goes unappreciated? Or when the job they do is deemed inadequate, even though they did all that was asked of them? And do they keep wanting to serve, even if they know they are bound to get the same, thankless response? Where did they learn that it was okay to treat people who are serving them that way?

I ask myself these questions after every encounter I have like that. Sometimes their words don't get to me, but other times they take their toll. I catch myself muttering something under my breath, or turning around to a coworker to start berating them after they've gone.

But that's not the answer. On the contrary, we should thrive in situations like this, using them as a tool so that we can shine in the Lord's light. We are called to be servants, just like the Son of Man came to do, and that applies to every situation, be it literal or not.

Although we may have developed a warped sense of what being a servant means, it doesn't mean we are beneath those we serve. Quite the opposite in fact, Jesus said that being a servant is how we learn to become great. Matthew 20:26, "whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant." And this is another opportunity for us to learn how to be more Christlike by mirroring His image. He was the most obedient servant of all.

We could cut down those who belittle us in return, and we can silently curse those who we think do us wrong, but what would that achieve? Does it make you feel better? I for one can answer "no" to that, from experience. It accomplishes nothing more than to put us on the same level with the offenders, and doesn't teach either party a thing. Instead, let us strive to be a gracious servant, and in turn teach the complainers, attackers, and those around you how to do the same. It is not easy, I know, but it is effective. And when you succeed, you glorify God, and is that not more satisfying than getting the last jab in?

I have a very recent example:

About a month ago, while I will still trying to stand on my own two feet at Chase, we had a very very busy day at work. And although at Starbucks every day was busy, and some customers would get upset, for the most part once they got their drink and were on their way they were satisfied. The same can't be said at Chase. When you are dealing with people's money, smoothing over hostile situations is a lot more difficult. This particular day I apparently drew the short straw and had the pleasure of helping a particular customer, we'll call her Joy. She came up to me, already irritated, because she was incurring fees on her account. She wanted to know why she was, and when I told her why (because of the particular account she had) she got irate. "That is NOT a condition! I NEVER agreed to those conditions! YOU (and she points her finger at me when she says that) changed that on me! I NEVER signed anything to agree to THOSE conditions!" And she went on, and on, and on. After about 10 minutes of her arguing and me talking, my manager finally came over to tell her that she needed to calm down and talk about it her office, but she wasn't done. She went on for about 10 more minutes, while she argued with me over different aspects of her transaction because I "wasn't doing them correctly" (I was) and finally requested someone else because "the dumb idiot" (me) had "no idea what they were doing" (I did). My manager led her away, but I called after her: "Joy, I hope you have a wonderful day!" When I said that, my manager and 2 people around gawked. The next customer came to me beaming: "How in the world did you keep your cool? I was getting mad and she wasn't even being mean to me!" Later, my manager told me she left happy, and wanted to apologize for her behavior.

In truth, I honestly don't know why I didn't completely fall apart right in front of her. I am not particularly keen on confrontation, and I can't always find the right words to say at the time. But with her, I did. And afterwards I praised God. He gave me the courage and strength to say what I needed say, and be a witness and testament to His light and servitude. I pray that at least someone that day went home with a new understanding of what it means to serve with all of your heart because of what they saw. Not because of me, but because of God working in me. I know I did.

Having the heart of a servant is not just having a heart of gold. Someone who looks out for the interest of others, someone who willingly goes beyond what is expected of them is considered a servant. A servant's heart does not complain. It does not ask for something in return. A servant's heart looks to its Master for direction, and then willingly follows. Because in the end, our Master is always right, His decisions are always sound.

At work, in my marriage, with my family and friends, through hardships and confrontations, I want to strive for that every day.

So I ask you, do you want to be servant-hearted? Or do you want to be served?