What is it that makes dining out so appealing? I’m not talking about your experiences with “fast food”. I’m talking about the “reservation required, cloth napkin, ‘why the heck do I have all these forks’, order from a fancy menu things you cannot pronounce at prices you cannot afford” type of dining.
Is it the food? The ambiance? The rarity of occurrence? Just what is it that sets these type of meals apart from our everyday meals?
All the above? Some of the above? None of the above?
Could it be the service?
Yes, let’s go with that – “It’s the service”.
What is it about the service you remember?
- How quickly the server re-filled your water glass after every sip?
- How the server patiently waited for you to order while you butchered the menu language and asked a never ending list of questions?
- How your soiled plates disappeared as if by magic?
Or maybe it’s…
- How nice it felt to be served instead of being the server?
I guess you could sum it all up in the following:
We enjoy being served because it provides a brief respite from the “routine” of our daily lives. Being served gives the sensation that we are “special”. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
So, let me ask you this…
How do you feel when it’s your time to serve? Do you jump in feet first full of excitement at the opportunity or do you whine a little and wonder ‘why me?’, ‘not now’ or try to wriggle your way out of it? Hmm…maybe you wanna serve but just don’t know how??
If you’re like me, your answer is probably a combination of the above. But, really, why is that? Why is it that we are so willing to be served but so reluctant to serve?
I’m inclined to think it is has to do with “purpose”. No, it has everything to do with purpose.
Think about it for a moment. The purpose of the server at a restaurant is to take your order, bring your food and provide a positive experience. Yes, the waiter receives a monetary reward (tip) plus some level of hourly pay, but his reason for being there is to serve you.
Seems reasonable -> we serve because we have purpose, right?
What if you haven’t discovered your purpose? Then what?
Trial and error. You gotta take chances. Try new things. Put yourself “out there” and find what makes you “tick” or where your interests lie. Ya know, ya gotta “get your hands dirty”. You gotta read. Ya gotta grow yourself. You gotta become comfortable with quitting if whatever you may think your purpose is, isn’t. But you must always continue seeking your purpose.
Sure, searching will require moving a few rocks or boulders along the way, but you’ll become more comfortable with your journey as time passes. You’ll become more comfortable with who you are becoming. Funny thing, though, is that as you continue, you’ll naturally begin to serve. You’ll find yourself collecting a group of like-minded people all pulling the same way, accomplishing great things.
Your road becomes easier, but not without challenge. Heck, it’s easier simply because of your purpose. Having a purpose makes life more enjoyable. Knowing your “why” is life-changing. It’s a great feeling to know why God made you. Don’t ever lose sight of it or let someone “steal” it. It’s yours and yours alone.
Yours to share as you serve others. You can’t have one without the other.
You share. You serve.
You serve. You share.
That’s just the way “purpose” works.
Dan’s View 