This guy has been coming to the frame shop every couple of weeks for a while now, and each time he comes, he brings a few pictures with him and lurks around for a while, looking for standard-sized frames to put them in. Then he asks one of us to put them in the frames and install a hanger. That's not unusual, except that his M.O. happens to be using frames that are too small, which means we need to trim the pictures down before putting them in the frames.
Sometimes we're having a slow day and that's easy to do without feeling rushed, but sometimes it's busy and his particular needs feel like a burden. And sometimes, we have to politely decline to trim down his pictures - anything that is personally signed on the paper counts as original art, which we are not allowed to trim. It's a liability thing.
So whenever I see this guy come in, I brace myself to repeat the same things I always have to ask or tell him, like asking permission to cut down his picture or telling him that I can't because it's signed. And I have to say it with a smile, because this is retail, and I am representing the company when I talk to a customer.
So when he showed up today and began lurking around as usual, I looked anywhere but in his direction. I knew that he would find his frame soon, and I would be forced to trim down his picture and put it together...
Today, I just was not in the mood for that. At all. For some reason, just the thought of it made me feel weary.
But a stroke of luck happened: As he began to approach the frame table, another customer appeared with a pink ticket. Whew. A pick-up. Easy come, easy go. I almost jumped toward the other customer and took his ticket as quickly as I could. Then my coworker noticed the picture-trimming customer and went out to help him as I brought out the frames for my pink-ticket customer.
And you know what? My coworker seemed to truly enjoy helping this customer out. She trimmed his picture, asked him about it, made chit-chat as she installed his hanger, and sent him on his way a happy camper.
I don't think I would have made quite the same impression. All because I became weary of serving him as a customer.
There's a reason that retail experience is also under the category of customer service. And there's an equally good reason that it is called that - service. It's about the way we treat people. We are not to be rude or argumentative, we are to smile and be attentive, because we are there to please the customer.
As in customer service, so in Christian service.
Galatians 6:9-10a - And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone.Christians are clearly called to do good and to bear each other's burdens. One way of doing good is helping those in need. And humans need a lot of help. I've been asked to help with quite a few things so far. Most of the time it's simple things like seeking advice, getting a ride or borrowing something. Other times, it's needing a place to stay for the night or for a few weeks. Sometimes it's money. Sometimes it's the promise of secrecy. Sometimes it's the guarantee of brutal honesty.
I can't say that I've always done my best at helping my friends and acquaintances with these various requests. Sometimes I'm just in a bad mood and don't feel like helping anyone but myself. Sometimes I'm just as I was today - weary of serving the same person in the same way again and again and not seeing any benefit to myself.
And sometimes, just like today, another will take on the task that I fled from and perform it with grace.
But that does not excuse my calling to continue bearing and sharing the burdens of my fellow disciples, and to not grow weary of doing good.
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