– Monday Muse –
Dear One, recently as I was leaving Meijer, a large, one-stop mega-store, the greeter said, what we have all heard many times, “Good bye. Have a nice day.”
Well, that got me thinking that Meijer company must consider providing a greeter a profitable decision. For Meijer leadership keeps a keen eye on its profits and losses, and quickly cuts whatever is not generating profit.
As the exit door swung open, and I pushed my cart through, I thought about all the shoppers who would be greeted that day. If the greeter wasn’t there, would people care? Then I thought about the number of lonely people who might enter and exit these doors with no expectation for conversation the entire day. For them even a paid greeter might lighten their load, and brighten their mood. After that, I examined my entrances and exits. Did I appreciate being greeted by an employee? Yes, yes, I did.
Perhaps the greeter’s presence was also meant to provide a person-to-contact if a problem arose. Like the time I had to immediately leave Meijer, three-fourth’s of the way through my shopping. The greeter placed my carts (that was when I was shopping for a family of seven) in a cooler until I could return later that day.
Once outside, sunshine greeted me, like only sunshine can. The sky overhead was THAT blue. You know THAT color, the one you love too. And underneath THAT, the air was perfectly delightful. As I got close to my car, I spotted a beautiful, gray sports-car with the top down, parked beside my car. Its owner, and I reached our cars at the same time.
I said to her, “Oh with the warm, sun-shiny, summer weather we’ve had, you must have had a great time driving around with the top down.”
“Oh, yes we did!” she replied. “We have had a fantastic time. And there is still more warm weather ahead of us. It is supposed to be warm yet all this week!”
We each got into our cars. My car was facing outward, so when she backed out we were face-to-face…still smiling. She stopped just long enough to warmly wave to me. Then, she moved forward only about five feet, stopped again, and waved one last time.
Anyone who might have watched us, would have thought that we were very good friends, if not relatives. And yet our relationship consisted solely of one short exchange. I drove home thinking about the broad smiles, friendly voices, and parting waves.
That caused me to remember a first time visitor to our church. She had a difficult schedule, so I tried to help her figure out a way to attend the mid-week class which interested her. Since she was a stranger, I offered to be there, and introduce her to some of the women.
Part way through our conversation, she stopped me, and asked, “Why are you being so nice to me?”
I said, “Since you are here, I am assuming that you love God, right?”
For a second, she stared at me, and then said, tentatively, “Yes, I do.”
“So, that makes us sisters-in-Christ, right?”
With a gentle nod, and the most angelic smile, she quietly replied, “Right.”
When God created the earth in six days, He rested on the seventh, He simply called each new day’s creation good. It wasn’t until God created Man that He said, “…it was very good…,” Genesis 1:31. It is evident, and Scripture teaches, that God created Man for fellowship, fellowship with Him, and fellowship with one another. That is why it benefits Meijer to station a greeter at each entrance, why strangers who have had only a short inconsequential exchange drive away smiling, and why strangers are warmly invited into church fellowship.
I can’t ever remember one detail about the sports car owner. I could not possible identify her, but the warmth of our exchange is still with me. It is such a blessing that God created man in His image…meaning that like Him, we desire fellowship. Where fellowship does not exist, sin has entered in. For that problem God sent His Son… for reconciliation.
“That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with
us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3
Blessings,
Susanne
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