“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:8-12 NIV)
It was Christmas Day and my wife and I were in Destin, Florida enjoying a week away from the cold and snow of our home in Boone, North Carolina. We were eating a lunch at one of the few restaurants open that day. Sitting at our table on the edge of Destin Harbor, the Lord had put it on my heart to leave a large tip for our waiter. That sense was there long before we arrived at the restaurant, which was fortunate for the waiter because his service was average at best. He wasn’t particularly friendly or attentive.
As I laid my 50% gratuity on the table out of obedience, a realization dawned on me about the Lord’s grace and mercy. Our waiter, based on his service, did not deserve the tip I gave him; yet, I had great joy in being gracious toward him. In fact, more so than I think I would have if he had provided excellent service.
As I reflected on this the rest of the week, I understood why the Lord led me to tip so generously. It gave me a first-hand experience of showing grace and mercy when it is not earned or deserved. In that waiter, who didn’t give his best or treat us as well as we should have been, I saw myself. I often treat the Lord and those He loves in a similar manner. Yet time and time again, He joyfully shows me grace and mercy; He doesn’t treat me as my sins deserve.
As I look upon my life, I have been incredibly blessed. Yet, as Paul did (I Timothy 1:15), I see myself as the chief among sinners. My life is anything but a résumé of righteousness. I am the waiter that doesn’t give his best, but keeps being given generous tips. At lunch that day, the Lord reminded me of this.
We never saw our waiter’s reaction and, in reality, that was unimportant. The truth of which I was reminded in my obedience was the reward: I often give poor service to my Lord, but He joyfully continues to leave me great tips.
Today, may this be a lesson we put into practice with those around us.
© Jim Musser 2014
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