The Waitress

After a long day of driving through the desert, my husband and I spied a little cafe and were anxious to eat and get back on the road. Our young waitress was quite frazzled and distracted. We were disappointed when she brought our dinner, as it was different from what we had ordered. I was still complaining to my husband when she brought our bill. With a quiet sigh, she said, ‘I’m sorry for the mix up. I’m just not in the swing of things yet. This is my first day back from maternity leave.’ Instantly, my attitude changed. This new mother had left her baby with someone else so she could wait on us—customers with bad attitudes. Instead of complaining to her boss as I had planned, I asked about her baby and gave her a hug. We left a large tip, and I prayed for her as I walked back to the car.

Today’s verse says, ‘Be merciful.’ It does not say to be merciful only if you know the story or if the person ‘deserves’ it. I certainly learned a lesson from my experience in the cafe in treating people the way Christ would and putting others’ needs before my own. The next time I am having difficulty with someone, I am going to stop, take a long look at the situation and ask myself, ‘What does this person need?’ It may be as simple as a word of encouragement or a prayer.

Prayer: Dearest Father, help us to be kind to everyone we meet and to show mercy to those we find difficult. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen