And the lady pouring coffee, she knows the regulars by name

And if she doesn’t know you, she calls you “Honey” just the same

The lady who pours you coffee, knows your name, and calls you “Honey” if she doesn’t, should be the model for all Christians in the marketplace. Think about it.

First, she’s on a personal level with everybody. “Honey,” in some cases is more intimate than your own name. You can talk about anything with this lady and it will be okay. I had a grandmother who used to pat your hand and go, “There, there, dear,” to just about anything you could get riled up about. It’s a similar thing with the waitress. The lady with the coffee has the best therapy. She daily pours out advice, love and understanding. There’s nothing that can’t be put on the table. She’s better than a psychiatrist. She makes you feel normal.

Second, she’s exempt from the culture wars. She doesn’t take sides. She’s sympathetic to everyone’s point of view. Not that she just blindly agrees with everybody, but she finds out what she can agree with and sides with that. Or she just smiles. “I know, I know, dear,” she’ll say again.

Third, she’s politically neutral; the waitress transcends politics. She’s going to pour your coffee no matter what. You can be any party or no party at all, it doesn’t matter to her. It’s not that she ignores you. She’ll hear you out, but she’s not going to get into an argument with you. That’s not what she’s there for. She’s there to serve you. She’s going to make sure your coffee stays warm, and your breakfast suits you.

Finally, she cares for you unconditionally. She doesn’t have to find out anything about you first. She’ll serve you no matter what. You’re getting an unconditional breakfast. And if there’s something wrong with it, just tell her, she’ll send it back. Then she’ll find out more about you, but only after you’ve had the proper service.

And why is this a good model for Christins? Because loving someone and serving them is exactly what Jesus asks us to do. He told us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, and made it clear that we are to serve each other — wash each other’s feet. Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and He is our example.