Today’s Daily Bread ~ Truly Amazing Grace

Ephesians 2:8 – God saved you by His grace when you believed.  And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

People often ask me how I got into radio.  I did get a degree in broadcast journalism at the University of Kansas, but that’s not what I credit.  I was just a work-horse (and had a lot of help from my Father).  I had a goal in mind, and I was going to do what it took (within the boundaries of my morals) to get there.

I moved to Texas in 1998 for the sole purpose of finding a job in radio.  My parents were living in Keller, and welcomed me into their home; no rent, no bills.  My tentative plan was this:  find a job waiting tables and begin to pay off my debt.  Look for a job in radio.  Simple enough.

I started working at Cool River Café in Las Colinas just a few weeks after moving in.  It wasn’t radio, but it was very good money, and I loved it.  I had been there a few months (also working part time in radio) when I had one of the worst nights in my table waiting history.

Let me give you a quick rundown of some terms you’ll need to know to follow along, in case you’ve never served: double-sat (hostess seats two of your tables at the same time, not good but not the end of the world), triple-sat (hostess seats three of your tables at the same time, you’ll need help getting drink orders), slammed (your section fills up very quickly, you need help, period.), and in the weeds (you just can’t keep up, every time you turn around someone needs something and its happening so quickly that you can’t get your head above water – not a desirable place to be.)

Back to my worst night.  I had one of the largest sections in the dining room – five tables – which may not sounds like much, but trust me, you’re running.  Three of my tables were sat inside of five minutes.  They all wanted bottles of wine, which meant tracking down the wine steward.  Just when I got those two squared away, my other two tables filled up, and they also wanted bottles of wine.  I was officially slammed. 

One thing led to another, and before I knew what had happened, thirty minutes had gone by and one of my tables still didn’t have their wine.  I raced off to find it, poured two glasses for the gentlemen, apologized profusely, and took their appetizer order. 

Food started coming up for my other tables, so I rushed that out as fast as I could.  Then one woman’s steak was undercooked, so I scurried back to the kitchen to hand it to the chef.  I was keeping my eye out for that appetizer order, getting nervous because it was taking so long.  Finally I asked if it was ready, and the line cook told me they didn’t have the ticket.  I’d forgotten to put it in.  By this time, I was so deep in the weeds I needed a ladder to find my way out.

I entered their order as quickly as I could, and walked calmly back to the table to see how they were doing.  They were very polite, and asked me if they could order.  “Absolutely,” I replied, “Let me take that right now.”  Then my other tables needed their checks.  Then I got double sat again.  Then the appetizer order went out.  After getting my two new tables squared away, I walked by the two gentlemen to see how they were doing.  They had finished their appetizers, so I took their plates.  “Gentlemen, your dinner should be out momentarily,” I said smoothly.  I went back to check on their meals, and almost had a heart attack.  Once again, I’d forgotten to put their order in.  And they were both having baseball (12 oz.) filets.  Cooked well done (takes forever to cook a 12 ouncer well done).

To make a long story less long, I went back to their table with tears in my eyes.  I told them what I had done, and apologized again.  The elder of the two men looked at me and smiled sweetly.  He had the look of one born and raised in Texas, and spoke in a soft, southern drawl.  “Now sugar, don’t you worry.  We can see that you’re busy and we know that you’re doing your best.  You just bring that food out when it comes up and don’t worry yourself too much about us.”

I was almost afraid to look at the ticket when they left.  Between their wine, their after dinner drinks and their cigars, they’d racked up a bill of about $350.  I was so upset with the poor service I’d given them that I didn’t even want a tip.  I just wanted to go home and put an end to the day. 

They should’ve asked for the manager and demanded that he comp their bill.  They should’ve left me nothing at all. 

Those gentlemen tipped me well over the industry standard of 18%.

 That truly was amazing grace. 

The word in the Greek for grace is charis, and it also means special favor.  Those men did not treat me like a stranger, or a subordinate.  They treated me with special favor.  And it changed me.

I have always remembered those men.  I wouldn’t know them if they walked up to me and hit me in the face, but I will never forget that night, and how I felt.  It made me want to be a better waitress, and it made me want to extend that same grace every time I went out to eat.

The word charis is derived from chairo.  Chairo means graciousness of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude). 

We are the beneficiaries of God’s amazing grace, but unless it changes us and leaves evidence of itself in our lives, we have not received it.  I have made a lot of foolish choices in my life.  I have done a lot of things I wish I could undo.  But I have chosen to throw my head back, open my arms, and receive the grace our Father rains down on us.  My past mistakes have no hold over me.  I am no longer a slave to my worldly habits, because I have chosen to receive God’s grace.

Our God is so great, so mighty, so righteous, so just, that none can see His face and live (Exodus 33:20).  When the prophet Isaiah saw Him, he cried out, “”Woe to me!  I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty (Isaiah 6:5).”  This is same God that ruthlessly pursues us, constantly wooing us and calling us into a relationship with Him.  When we look at our lives compared to His light, we should be forever changed by the fact that He loves us so much…He sent His Son to take the punishment for our sin.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace!  Lord, so many of us still live with anxiety, worry, fear, anger, sadness, or loneliness.  So many of us have areas of our lives that we are not yet able to turn over to You.  God, help us to open ourselves up to receiving Your grace.  Pour out Your favor upon us and change us!  Cleanse our hearts, our minds, our bodies and souls.  Free us for joyful obedience, Lord, and let our lives produce a great harvest of good fruit.  We thank You so much that You would seek us.  Who are we, Lord, that You would look on us with such love and tenderness?  We thank You for Your Son, and the unfathomable work of the cross.  Write the magnitude of it on our hearts, Lord, don’t let us ever forget.  We love You and praise You, and magnify Your Holy Name.  It is in the beautiful name of Jesus Christ our Lord that we pray.  Amen.