Greetings Dear Reader,
I went on a weekend jaunt to North Carolina for the purpose
of moving closer to being a writing nomad.
It was a wonderful journey with surprises and lessons. On the way back, I stopped in Charlotte,
North Carolina for dinner.
The highway sign said there was a Steak ‘n Shake at the next
exit. I decelerated and moved to the
right lane so as to exit. I was
expecting a call from a friend at seven and thought that allowing an hour to
get food, eat carefully, and get back on the road would be sufficient. God has a sense of humor and apparently, I am
his court jester at times.
When I pulled into the parking lot for the Steak ‘n Shake, I
observed that it was quite busy. I found
a spot, parked, and strolled in any way after stretching a bit. When I entered the tables and counter were
full but no one was waiting to be seated.
As if a signal had been given almost everyone got up to leave and lined
up at the register. Then a large crowd
of people entered waiting to be seated.
All the tables had to be cleared so I knew it would take a
few minutes to be seated. What I did not
know was how unruly it would become. I
decided to entertain myself whilst I waited through one of my favorite pastimes;
people watching. I listened to the people
around me and caught on quickly that this was a large group of Christians who
were on their way to a Casting Crowns concert in Charlotte.
I heard several things that amused me. A man asked the lovely young woman he escorted
if she thought her tight jeans were appropriate for a Christian concert. She responded, “Look at my pockets. I have sparkly crosses on my ass. Everyone looking at my tight jeans will think
of Jesus.”
One mother warned her children not to ask for cheese on
their burgers because it was a dollar extra.
When her older son who I think was about nine years old protested, she
answered him very firmly, “Jesus never had cheeseburgers so you will be just
fine.” I heard the lad mutter under his
breath, “Jesus never had chocolate either but you sure eat plenty mom.”
I realized in my enjoyment of the flotsam and jetsam of conversation
that the time of my wait had increased to fifteen minutes. I could hear the buzz of the other thirty or
so people observing the empty tables grow uneasy. The only thing restraining the throng was a thin
placard that read “Please wait to be seated.”
I felt the tide of impatience come in and the murmurs of
crashing waves and people started demanding to be seated. The hostess approached me and asked, “how many”. I held up my index finger and said: “one
please.” She looked around the room bewildered
at the idea of seating a solo customer at one of her four tops when there were
so many others to be seated. I suggested
that I could sit at the counter. It took
her a moment to work out that this was a good thing.
I took a seat at the counter, watching as the others were
seated. I could hear people complain as
they were seated that it should not have taken so long to get them a seat. The other customers were demanding to be
served quickly. They kept expressing their
urgency to get to the concert and displeasure with the delay. I was ashamed of the behavior of my
tribe.
I made sure to thank my server when she took my order. I treated her with kindness and expressed compassion
for her ill-treatment by others. I could
tell she was painfully used to disrespect and unreasonable demands. I ate my meal praying for her and the other
staff. I overheard one of the cooks say
to a server, “I hate it when those Christians have big concerts. We get slammed by rude people who are never satisfied.”
My server brought my check and I promptly paid, preparing to
leave. I have a very resounding voice when I wish to. I said to my server in a voice loud enough to
reach the whole room, “Thank you for serving me so well. I realize how busy you are and am impressed with
the quality of service and your kind professional manner. I hope the rest of the patrons enjoy their
meal as much as I did. I am sure their
tips will reflect the love and generosity all Christians feel toward service personnel. They will surely give you the respect that
Jesus would if he were here.”
My server, Kirsten, had tears in her eyes. With
her back to the rest of the room, she mouthed a heartfelt “thank you.” Everyone else had stopped eating and was
staring at me. I smiled, picked up my “to
go” drink and left. As I walked to the
door one of Casting Crowns songs was floating through my mind and out my lips. I pondered how the staff and the customers
all needed a deeper dose of Jesus’ love immediately.
Jesus
Friend of Sinners – Casting Crowns
Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours
to swing
Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over
me
Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double
minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing
fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what
breaks yours
Yeah
Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who's writing in the sand
Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their
hands
Help us to remember we are all the least of thieves
Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their
knees
No one knows what we're for only against when we judge the
wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and
loved like You did
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what
breaks yours
You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came
Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast
But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at
Your feet
'Cause You are good, You are good and Your love endures
forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what
breaks Yours
And I was the lost 'cause and I was the outcast, Yeah
You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your
feet
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner.
He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Contacts for Aramis
Thorn:
Support Page on
Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
Posts
You were both the salt and the light. Having been in the midst of similar situations too often.
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