Other people's time.

     Fresh back from vacation and feeling very refreshed.  Thank you!  While vacationing is relaxing and fun, there are components of work that pop up from time to time.  I'm an observer.  A people watcher.  Someone who studies people and their presentation.  Love to sit and watch people anywhere and anytime.  Unless I'm late for a plane and then all bets are off.  In most situations we can watch people and never be noticed.  Very few people care whether or not they are  being watched.  They just want to eat their food, ride their bike, watch their kids, or whatever they are doing.  So my job as a people watcher/observer is an easy one.  On this vacation I watched from a particular angle which makes this account different.  I watched up close without anyone knowing.  The waiter/waitress at my table, the gas station attendant, the gardener outside my café window and so many more.  Watching those who serve or are working is an enlightening event.  We all know that the spectrum from great to ghastly is there in every profession.  What would happen if we expected the best from people and left our focus there?
     Noticing that the rules of society are changing I was not surprised to see the loosening of dress codes, various decorative touches on individuals, and of course the language spoken or unspoken.  What do I mean?  Well, for beginners you need to know that on vacation I ate at a number of restaurants with different ambiances.  Expensive to cheap.  It didn't matter.  People who were working at restaurants seemed to be loosened up.  More relaxed clothing and less uniforms.  Piercings, tattoos and other jewelry presentation was up while the more reserved presentation was down.  That's good in my book.  Being real is important.  It seemed that customer service was higher on the list in the more laid back places than on previous vacations.  At one restaurant I ordered a dish that was not on the menu.  The waiter never even batted an eye.  When our meals came, mine was extraordinary!  This goes to prove that the customer should get what they want and not be relegated to someone else's imagination.  It also showed me that this waiter was conscientious about his work and knew the skills of the chef and other staff. 
     We pulled into a gas station in Oregon (they pump the gas) and the attendant joked that they were out of gas.  When was the last time an employee of a business actually joked with you?  I decided to do a bit of joking on my own.  It was not well received.  Was it my joke?  Was it they suddenly got busy?  Was it that the joking was supposed to be one way?  I don't know.  I do know that until then I was enjoying being there.  After that we couldn't get away soon enough.  What happened?  I'm not really sure.  I do know that I was happy we were passing through that place only once in probably my lifetime. It's tough to read some people and even tougher to enter into their world when you and I aren't invited.  I did thank him and wish him a great day.
     I went into a library while on vacation to check my emails.  The librarian in this small town was engaging, looked me in the eye, smiled and talked WITH me.  He didn't even use his librarian voice.  Neither did I.  What was important was I didn't feel like he was just lonely, looking for interaction, or anything like that.  He genuinely presented himself, his abilities to help me, and his warmth that said I had permission to be there in his space.  After checking my emails (184 spam) I decided to leave and once again engaged him.  I could have just left and not looked back.  I probably won't see him again in my life.  But I didn't.  He needed something called courtesy, common courtesy.  He needed to receive what he had already given to me.  So I gave back to him what I could and then left.  I'm a richer man for having met him.  Unlike the gas station attendant. 
     Finally, I began to wonder how these waitresses, waiters, store attendants, gas station attendants, and librarians all see me.  Do they see someone who presents Jesus in their lives on a consistent daily basis?  Do they see compassion, grace and love from my presence?  Do they want what I have?  Do I want what they have?  That's part of the equation, or should be, for every Christian.  Acting and speaking in such a way that has the other person asking themselves, "What does he have that gives him that ______?"  How have I acted in such a way that anyone has asked, "Does he know Jesus?"  I'd love to tell you that happens all the time.  However, that wouldn't be true and those who watch me up close or from a distance will tell you that's simply not true.  Yet, I have that expectations that others will act at a higher level than they may.  In order to be able to see Jesus in me; others must be seen as Jesus sees them.  Do I honestly look at others, listen to others, and engage with others as if I am with Jesus?  Do they with me?