Pride In Her Work

My youngest daughter and I had a lunch date planned.
We were trying a restaurant that we had never been to before.
It was an organic, farm to table restaurant.
It was our kind of place.

We talked about all sorts of wonderful things.
I love one-on-one time with my children so I can really hear their hearts.
I love that one-on-one time with my in-loves as well, whenever I get the chance.
I look forward to that same kind of time with my grandchildren when they get older.

I made reservations at the restaurant, which really began to get crowded after we sat down.
We had some ideas of things to do after our lunch.
We got up to leave with our next plans in mind.
I was enjoying my daughter’s music choices in the car as we drove along.

We stopped at a store to look for a beach coverup.
Nothing caught her eye.
We walked around to another department to look there as well.
When I turned to say something to my daughter, I saw that she had stopped at the dresses.

I forgot how cute the things are here, she said.
I remember finding many things for her in this store when she was younger.
I saw the dressing rooms where I waited as she tried on dresses for special occasions.
Everything looked the same, though many years had passed.

Mom, this dress is so cute! I heard her say.
She pointed to one particular dress on the rack.
There was not another one like it.
There was a sign above the rack where the dress was hanging: 60% off.

I did the math.
The dress would be less than $20.
She held it up to her at my request.
It looked just like something she would wear.

She is like me in that she does not always like to try things on.
That often means a return to the store.
When she held up the dress, I could tell that it would indeed fit her.
Let’s get it! I said excitedly.

We never found the cover up.
We were not there to look for a dress.
The sale was too good to pass up.
She will be able to wear the dress often throughout the summer.

This department store has various registers in strategic places.
There was a register right where we were standing.
However, there was a sign that said: Register closed.
The cashier was still behind the counter, though she appeared to be gathering her things.

We started to walk away.
I can help you here, the woman said.
Thank you, we both said together.
The woman scanned the price tag; the price of the dress was a bit higher than I thought.

My math might be wrong, I said, but the sign said 60% off.
Which sign? The woman asked.
I pointed to where we found the dress.
This dress is not that label, she said, pointing to the sign.

Someone must have hung this dress in the wrong place, she added.
A 50% off sign hung over the rack where the dress should have been.
I wondered if she would honor the 60% off price because of the sign.
Even at 50% off, the dress was quite a bargain.

I take pride in my department, she remarked.
I make sure everything is marked accurately.
I know that is true because everything was so neat and orderly.
I know you do, I said and meant it.

By this time there were two women behind us.
The price difference from 50-60% off was negligible.
We still would like the dress, I told her.
I want to do whatever I can to make my customers happy, she told us.

We thanked her as she carefully folded the dress and put it in a bag for us.
I thought about her remarks as we walked away.
I take pride in my department.
What a wonderful work ethic this woman possesses.

If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, “Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” (Martin Luther King Jr.)

This woman is responsible for one department.
You can walk from this department to another and see the difference.
The entire store is a pleasant place to shop.
However, there is something about the pride this woman has in her job that is obvious.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,  since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Colossians 3:23,24)

What if each of us had that same work ethic?
No matter what we are called to do, we do it for the Lord.
No matter how small the task, we do it excellently.
No matter if no one sees the job we do, God sees.

It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Enough said.

2 responses to “Pride In Her Work”

1. What a beautiful challenge!

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   • It is, Jean!
     That woman had no idea how much her words meant to me.
     Gina

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