WARNING! I AM ABOUT TO BOAST! PLEASE FORGIVE ME
Before I came into ministry, I worked in the hospitality industry. I started when I was fifteen years old washing dishes at a six-hundred room hotel. It took three of us to operate the dish machine to handle the dishes, silverware, and glasses for two restaurants. I went to Johnson & Wales University and majored in hotel food and beverage management to the Masters level and spent one year in culinary arts. Just before seminary I worked as a Director of Catering and we entered a local food competition showcasing our services to over five-hundred participants who would would vote on the best one. We won People's Choice Award, beating fourteen other restaurants. It was my recipe for New England Clam Chowder we entered.
Recently speaking with some co-workers about the stresses, obstacles and challenges of working in hospice, I tried to share one of the core beliefs at our church called excellence. Paul tells the church at Colossae that in whatever you do, do it as if it was to the Lord. Doing this in today's society may come across as boastful, prideful, or arrogant because most people just do enough to get away with it. Excellence in all we do mimics Jesus who gave his all to serve mankind. Some Christians who have not learned it might ask if you are being a "holier than thou" person. I have told them I am trying to be "holy as He" and doing what Paul says here is part of this challenge.
Whether I am holding the hand of an emaciated 85 lb. woman and looking deep into her eyes and reminding she can be content in her situation because God is in charge--then I am doing it as if Jesus was in that bed. If I embrace a man to bring him comfort as he has just lost his mom and a tear forms in my eye remembering the loss of mine--then I am doing it as if Jesus was in my arms. If I encourage my co-workers as they deal with death, dysfunctional families, governmental regulations, and corporate policies and standards--then I am doing it as if Jesus was sitting across from me.
I am not the perfect _______________________ (fill in your choice). I can grumble and complain like the best of them. I can lose my cool and bluster about like a bull. It may be hard to see your boss as Jesus after they have chewed you out. It may be hard to see Jesus in your spouse after they have disappointed you. It may be hard to see Jesus in your child or other family member because none of us are perfect. When I do fail to live this life with excellence, I am doing it as if it was Jesus was standing right there. I then can ask him for his forgiveness and know that while I may have not passed this particular test of the Christian life, I will soon have a make-up exam.
Trying to live a life as unto Jesus, you might not win awards or hear accolades from others in your striving for excellence, but his retirement plan is out of this world.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. Ephesians 1:4 (NIV)
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