the power of "thank you"

 

There are people who work, hard, and seem to go unseen. Having been a wife and mother, I remember times when I wondered if the service I was rendering made a difference. If it was noticed. If it was important. Thankfully I learned, early on, "to do everything as unto the Lord and not unto men, because it is the Lord Jesus Christ you are serving." Reading, memorizing and practicing that verse kept me from getting my panties in a wad because I felt underappreciated. And I can tell by my attitude everytime I slip into doing things for people rather than for the Lord.

Because of my life experience I've made it a habit to look for opportunities to thank "those" people. You know, the people who gather carts so we can shop. The ones who stock shelves so we have an assortment to choose from. The people who clean the bathrooms or sweep the aisles at stores or malls so things are pleasant. The workers who work the holiday shift. I've even been known to call a manager from the back of a restaurant to commend a server. It's priceless to see the looks on these peoples faces when they hear that what they do is noticed and appreciated.

When Anita and I went to Texas Roadhouse for lunch on Valentine's Day it was hopping busy. During our meal I noticed someone bussing tables who was not a waitress nor a "busboy". She, along with everyone else associated with the restaurant that day were getting after it. I went over and asked if she was a manager. She said yes, and you could see by the look on her face  she was bracing herself for whatever complaint was coming. I thanked her for working hard, for doing a job that she didn't have to do. I commented on how impressed I was by the way the waitresses were working. I will never forget her response, and it has nothing to do with the free dessert she insisted on blessing us with. "Thank you for noticing..."

It doesn't cost us anything but a few minutes and sometimes, we don't even have to slow down to notice someone doing a good job or performing a service that makes our lives easier. It might be uncomfortable to take the next step, but the dividends are priceless when we step out and thank someone for the job they are doing. Try it. I am not going to guarantee you'll end up with anything more than a bewildered smile, but trust me when I say that is payment enough when you see how much of a difference a few kind words can make in a person's demeanor.