I’m a person who doesn’t cook a lot (if ever), and I frequently tend to go to restaurants. This week I reflected on how my prayer life affects the way I treat those who are serving my food. My friends who work in the food service industry all have horror stories like how they are often treated like second class citizens. Nobody deserves this, especially those who help me enjoy the company of my loved ones or take making a meal off my itinerary of an already busy day. I’ve begun to not only thank God for the food, and the farmers ( or the chemical engineers) that have produced my food, but also the people that have served me. These are the ones that I can live my prayer out with and say “thanks” and/or be patient with them when things aren’t working out perfectly. I hope they go home to their family and friends after a busy day at work knowing that I’m appreciative. I want them to know that to me their work is about creating an experience around food given by the divine, to me their work is about caring for another human, in short to me their work can be an act love for a stranger. What an amazing model of discipleship (even if they are being paid for it.) Their task is to love and serve a person that they don’t know. This good ole’ fashioned hospitality is frequently seen in scripture as divine work. God is continually reaching out to us to let us know we are loved… what if next time you experience care from a food service professional you thought about it as them being God’s hands and feet serving you and remembered them in your spoken and lived prayers.
Blessings,
Justin
