Being served – in other words, not doing it yourself – is a privilege.
When someone does something for us, without prompting or expectation, we are usually thankful. When people serve above and beyond expectation it’s highly lauded – in the press, in stories and song.
However, that’s not what I’m asking you to look at today…
I’m not referring to those who do more than we expect.
Rather, what about all those people in our life who do their job and it benefits us in small, seemingly inconsequential ways… perhaps we almost don’t notice their service?
(Or, worse than not noticing, we are critical…)
Are you thankful when people meet your needs as part of their “job”?
The most obvious way we demonstrate we value service is when someone gives us our food in a restaurant. We leave them a “tip” according to how we feel they performed. However, when you leave your monetary extra with the cost of the bill, are you thankful for their service? Or do you expect good service because you’re paying for it…?
The other day I picked up an online order of groceries. I drove to the store and a young fellow brought them to my truck through torrential rain. He was obviously soaked. And yet he was cheerful, as he did the exact job he’d been hired to do. However, I can honestly say that I felt a huge sense of gratitude. He was doing his job – but his work made my life easier.
Take a mental walk through your week.
How many people served your needs as part of their job, and you merely expected it, giving it little value in your mind/heart?
(Or, perhaps you criticized their performance, even if it was only in thought… I wonder if we devalue other’s work when we dismiss it because we believe we could have done it better ourselves… — Maybe you’ve never done that… Food for thought?)
Maybe the person providing service was your spouse — they put gas in your vehicle or carried out the trash, or made the bed… and you might have noticed, but did you really feel thankful?
Perhaps it was the maintenance worker who was filling the holes in the street or picking up trash or the group of workers who were improving where you live.
Or the minister who prayed with you, or for you. (You might not even have known – but I suspect there are more praying for you than you believe.)
What about the mail carrier or Amazon Prime Package Person?
Or the health-care scheduler who phoned to make your next doctor’s appointment.
You get the idea, right?
Make a list of all the people who have served your needs this week – and really dwell on their value. And experience how appreciative you are of their work because it means you don’t have to do it all yourself.
(I haven’t filled any holes in the road, re-connected my own electricity, cleaned out my own sewage line, hauled water from a well, or chopped wood to heat my home this week.)
If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll realize how many, many, many people contribute to your well-being…
And yes, it may be their job.
However.
Feel grateful that you live in a world where your needs are met…
Be thankful you have the privilege of being served…
...in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1Thessalonians 5:18
This article is the 26th of 30 ways to document in how many ways you’re thankful. Here are a few more:
- thankful for what you wear
- grateful for your space and spot
- being thankful to laugh
On October 31st the entire “30 Days of Thankfulness” series will be available for download in PDF form, along with some digital extras to print out.
You can, if you’d like, to go back through (at any time) and make your own “Gratitude Journal”. It could be a simple as a notebook, or you could make your own journal. The “what” doesn’t matter as much as your words do! In addition, one person will win this...
