First of all, I wanted to share that along with moving to Garland this past weekend, I also started my new job. I have worked for the company DSW, or Designer Shoe Warehouse, for the last six months near our old apartment in North Dallas. Thankfully, with our recent relocation once we bought our house, I was able to get transferred to the Firewheel Town Center DSW in Garland. I started working at the new location this week and am so far enjoying it, though it will take some adjusting to.
The incident I wanted to share actually happened to me while at work yesterday (Thursday) at the new store. Now having worked at a shoe store for six months, I am very surprised that something like this has not happened to me until now. The results of this story, however, have given me a wonderful new perspective of the Lord and His compassion.
Here we go. Okay, so as a sales associate, one of my jobs is to help assist any customer who needs help find a specific shoe, style of shoe, or size. I am expected to take care of the customers as best I can, doing most anything to keep them pleased with our service and products. Yesterday, there was an elderly man who came into the store and immediately asked if someone could help him find some shoes he was looking for. I was paged to help him by a manager, and I began attempting to find what he was looking for. This man was looking for very specific styles of shoes in which we did not have much to choose from, and we also did not carry much in his size. Finally, we found a pair that looked like they would work, and he decided to try them on. Because he had recently had surgery and could not physically put on the shoes, he asked me to do it for him. Now, I know what you are thinking... "No big deal! He is elderly, of course I would put on his shoes for him." But a couple of things that you don't know are that within the few minutes that I was helping him find his shoes, this man was incredibly rude and cranky. He continued to insult our shoe selection and my service because I "couldn't find anything for him". And the kicker was that as I looked down at his feet, I swear he had some sort of fungus growing out of his toes. I was already frustrated with this customer, but I decided to bite the bullet and help him with his shoes. THEY FIT! Success! Because these pair fit, the man decided to buy them and just wear them out of the store. As I was checking him out at the register, I continued to offer him a store membership which would help him by giving him back coupons for future purchases. Immediately, he told me "NO!" and how he never finds shoes at our store and that what he was buying today was "secondary". Frustrated I managed to smile a few more seconds until he left the store.
How could this man be so angry and ugly to me when I had done everything I could to serve him well and give him what he needed. Immediately, I was reminded of the story in the Bible where Jesus washes his disciples feet. I am positive that the disciples feet were not well manicured, clean, or smelling nice. I am also positive that Jesus did not choose to serve them in this way because He thought that they would be forever faithful to Him. The point of Jesus washing His feet was rather to emphasize HIS faithfulness to us. Goodness. I am human, and one of the hardest things for me to do is to love people unconditionally. To love people like Jesus loves sometimes seems nearly impossible, especially when people don't seem lovable. Something I pray for myself is that the Lord softens my heart to people where it has become hard. I pray that I can serve as Jesus served, even when faithfulness is not returned to me.
At our wedding, last May, Brett and I decided to have a feet-washing ceremony after exchanging our vows. I especially pray that the Lord continues to allow us as a couple to serve each other as Christ serves the church. Here is a picture from our wedding and I hope it reminds you to serve someone this week.
Have a blessed weekend! And expect a new house post soon with pictures of our home!!
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