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The Pastoral Lens
A Tough Pill to Swallow
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
There are so many things in the Bible that are difficult to understand. There‚s the parting of the Red Sea, David‚s slaying of Goliath, and the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, just to name a few. However, in the practical, everyday affairs of life, I would have to say that there is one particular task that Christians are called upon to fulfill which seems impossible at times. In Philippians 2:14 the apostle Paul exhorts us to "do all things without complaining or arguing." Now, at first glance, this would not seem so tough. But hey, maybe you‚ve never worked in retail or had a job in a restaurant.I had a job for more than 6 years at a restaurant, first as a busboy and later as a waiter. I was taught, in no uncertain terms, that "the customer was always right" and my attitude and actions were to reflect this unwritten rule. There were many good customers over the years, but there were a number of stinkers, too. It‚s a good thing the kitchen door couldn‚t talk, because if so, a lot of shameful information would have been divulged. Frustrated waiters, waitresses, and busboys always had the milieu of the kitchen to sound off at cranky customers. I thought nothing of it, myself, until I became a Christian and came across this verse of Scripture while reading the New Testament. After discovering this admonition from God‚s Word, my conscience was pricked whenever I engaged in this practice with my working colleagues. Let me tell you about the time I hit "rock bottom" in the complaining department.
I was working a very busy Sunday brunch with my twin brother and another friend of ours. We were so busy looking after a large dining room that we could hardly keep up with tallying up bills and getting them out to the patrons. One table of 4 people had asked for their bill. Each of us were busy and it took some time before we could attend to it. I finally got to it, only to find that the customers had already left. One man had the nerve to sign the cheque and even fill in a generous tip, yet no money was left with the bill. Our friend took chase into the parking lot hoping to apprehend these villains before the valet parking attendant could bring their car around. Meanwhile, I was fuming about the whole thing with my brother. Our manger overheard us and asked about the situation. In elaborate, exaggerated detail I recounted the incident of these "cheapskates" and their mean trick. My brother joined me in berating them and complaining about the whole mess. What I heard next nearly froze the blood in my veins. The manager informed us that the man who signed the cheque was a privileged client of the restaurant and that he had a house charge. In other words, all he had to do was sign his name and the cheque was covered. The so-called tip was legitimate and would be paid to us. It was at that moment that our friend came in huffing and puffing from the parking lot. To our great relief he was unsuccessful in his attempt to apprehend the VIP and give him a tongue lashing.
Boy, did I ever learn a lesson that day in complaining, and why a Christian must refrain from it. Receiving my cut of that tip was bittersweet, indeed! We live in a country that allows free speech and tolerates road rage. Nevertheless, Christians are called to be different. I truly believe that the area of complaining is a tough pill to swallow because it is such a natural response for us in adverse circumstances. I hope that reading this article this week will help you think twice before letting open the mouth gate. Have a blessed week!
