Disappointments

Don't you just hate when customer service representatives are kind and helpful on the phone? Yep, you read the question right. It's frustrating when a person in a position (that is supposed to be a helpful position, but rarely is) proves that someone in that role can actually be helpful. We've all grown so accustomed to going in circles with the voice prompts that large companies force us to deal with. We've have all felt the aggravation of a customer service representative who forgets we are the customer, that they are supposed to offer us a service and that they are representing a company that claims they care about us. In those rare moments, when someone we need to be helpful, actually is, we are forced to evaluate and maybe adjust all our preconceived ideas and biases against anyone in that occupation.

I just hung up the phone with my medical insurance company, trying to find out if I could have a procedure completed that a specialist ordered. Unfortunately since the time I first saw the specialist and she ordered the procedure until now, I've changed insurance companies. I had to make sure the procedure would still be covered. The lady I spoke with was incredible. She listened to my situation, did some research on her data base and when I needed to talk with the imaging center to confirm information, she asked me to hold and made the call for me. She took care of everything, found all the information I needed and went above what I expected she would do.

Those of us that have decided to be followers of Jesus, face a similar stigma as customer service representatives. The label of being a Christian or follower of Jesus, often communicates to people that we are judgmental, arrogant and hypocritical. Too bad it's a label we've either earned for ourselves or someone else, that's a follower of Christ or claims to be a follower of Christ, has earned for us. Unfortunately it's been earned or demonstrated enough that it's often what people expect, from you or me, when they realize we are a Christian.

That makes our new task, to be one of disappointing people. To frustrate them by not living up to what they've come to expect from someone that claims to know Christ. How amazing will it be the next time someone tells you, "you are so different from what I was expecting a Christian to be?" "You treated me with love." "You didn't make me change everything I do and think before you'd consider me a person of value." What if tomorrow when you are the customer service representative for Jesus (which you will be), the individuals you interact with are blown away as they experience what they didn't expect?

Let's get out in our community and strive to be huge disappointments. I know that each of us can do it.

Have a great week,

Brent