Gratuity vs. Gratitude

As we prepare our hearts to minister in this season of giving, I began to give careful consideration to what it means to be a servant. Of course our worship to the Lord is a service to Him. We wait on Him, and attend to Him in our songs and our tithes and our obedience to His word. But, often, in a greater way, our best service to God is in the way we attend to the needs of a lost and hurting world.

What if in our worship to God, He only blessed us with His provision of mercy, grace, and love, according to our performance? What if, when we offered Him a meal of our worship, it was partially cold because of self-doubting? Or what if we served the wrong meal entirely because we were new and inexperienced?  What if because the meal that we served God was not perfect, He paid us with a tract of rebuke and a dollar of disgust! Thank God He does not give us what we deserve! He tips us instead in abundance…He tips us in GRACE!

In these next few weeks many of us will be out buying gifts, or enjoying a meal out with friends. As Christians, we will have a blessed opportunity to reflect the giving nature of our Heavenly Father. Many restaurants in our area, however, cringe at the thought of having to serve the “Christian Crowd” because they are known to be stingy. Instead of showing our displeasure by tipping with a dollar bill and a tract, we could use even a time of poor service as an opportunity to brighten someone’s day and soften their hearts. Who knows, maybe our poor service was due to the rude customers before us and ruined our server’s day.  Should we not be the vessel that could turn things around? Isn’t that a part of the plan of redemption to overcome evil with good?

Our pony-tailed server is likely to be making a mere $2.13 an hour. The minimum wage for a dedicated server is much lower than state wage requirements. They are working in hopes of gratuity. Imagine only getting paid if our customers were completely satisfied with our work!  On the other hand, the cooks in the kitchen are being paid reasonably by the hour. If they burn your steak they will not be penalized, nor will they be upset that your tip reflected your displeasure.

Gratuity by its very nature is a deserved bonus. But as people of grace we should not be so ruled.  We of all people should not live in the boundaries of “Just Deserts” especially in the season of celebrating the birth of our Savior who came to deliver us from a Hell we so justly deserved.  Let us instead be ambassadors of Love; being patient and understanding, and serving the needs others…of even those who serve us!

Serving alongside you in the season of Grace