When I lived in KC, I frequently drove fifteen minutes outside my centralized apartment for dive breakfast. I'd dine by myself, enjoy breakfast, and remember that real people are in the world, with real life jobs and struggles. Sounds funny that I could forget something so obvious as to need a reminder, but ministry can become rather isolated if you allow it to be, leaving you to become self-involved in the quieter moments.
Anyway, last Sunday I decided that I could either sulk in my apartment, or get out and interact with the real world. It's good to remember that the fine people that wait on me have their own struggles. They may be trying to earn their way through school, or working over to support the kids that they'd rather be with. In light of this, I am only a blip on their radar, but I can make the personal choice to brighten their day or tip a little more than what is rational. And I can walk out with little more than a satisfied stomach, but carry the joy of serving someone who has spent the day slaving over tables of ten college students or the after church crowd.
I can do this, because I have been given a light to share. Like the song I sang in children's church, it is an equally viable option to place it under a bowl, or to let Satan "poof" it out. But we were meant to shine. I think breakfast is a great way to shine; I aim to make this a routine.
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