Life Lessons Over Pizza

Occasionnally Teresa and I will indulge in a pizza!  Actually, I would more often but Teresa is my dietician! Recently we entered a Pizza restaurant in Florida and I was struck by the demeanor of the primary server.  Actually this man was the manager, server and cashier!  He never stopped spinning around the room making sure everyone had all they needed. As he was delivering orders to the various tables I noticed he was constantly looking to make sure no one needed anything.  If he noticed someone was getting low on drink he was quick to respond.  It was quite amazing and the kind of service you don't see too often.  I'm a student of people so I studied him and had this thought: "he's a military man!"  When he came to our table to refill our glasses I said, "you were in the military weren't you?"  He replied, "Yes Sir, 20 years in the Marine Corp Sir!"  I commended him on his splendid example of service to others.


As we walked out I thought about the experience and it saddened me a bit.  Here's why.  I wish I could have said, "I know he's a Christian!"  Unfortunately, it didn't cross my mind.  You see there is a phrase that says, "once a Marine, always a Marine!"  A Marine is taken into the Corp, broken down to shed his own identity or lack thereof, and then he must adopt as his identity the identity of a U. S. Marine.  He looks differently, acts differently and yes he even thinks differently. So it should be with those of us who are a part of the Church of the Lord Jesus. May the Lord be allowed such access to our lives that when people observe us they will say, "he's a Christian!"


Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors.  Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor  to God when he judges the world.  I Pet. 2:12 NLT