It's My Pleasure

I was in a resturant eating yesterday for a fast food type meal. After waiting in line like a bovine mammal awaiting their slaughter, I moved forwared and ordered my meal. It wasn't a difficult order mind you, just a number 2 with a diet drink. I ordered and they provided the meal as I had given the order without any problem. What happened next surprised me. I said thank you and what they said back surprised me!

I said thank you and the person behind the fast food counter said, "It's My Pleasure!"

I was taken back by this simple but thoughtful statement. The person was saying that they were pleased in making my sandwich, to provide the service that I had just paid for, that it was their pleasure to make sure that I had the meal I was looking for, and it was their pleasure that I was there in that resturant at that particular time.

This simple statement also challenged me to think about what I do. Is it my pleasure to serve others in the calling that I have? Is it my pleasure to sit and listen to a student's problems for hours knowing that I may not have the words to help them at that time? Am I pleased when I see students step up in leadership to only stumble later on making what appears to be a big blunder? Is it my pleasure when a parent doesn't understand the process of youth ministry with the end results of helping their student become a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ? Is it a joy and pleasure when I hear the students say they want to have a "lock in", uuuuhhhhhh!

YES! Yes it is a pleasure for me to see that they are moving towards the prize, of the high calling of God in their lives. It is my pleasure to see students, parents, and others understand that Jesus is real and is really real in a life of obedience to him.

So after eating my fast food meal with a different attitude, I now can look at what I do, who I am, and move forward in a new way in difficult situations and say to myself and others, "It's my pleasure!"