Several weeks ago part of our family had the opportunity to attend the Great Minnesota Get-Together. We were among the almost 2 million people who poured through the gates of the MN State Fair. The trip was planned so our daughter could participate in the 4-H judging of her Grand Champion pretzels. But, truth be told, we were there for the food. J Yes, we enjoyed seeing all the 4-H exhibits, picking up freebies, inspecting trucks and tractors and motorcycles and boats, perusing the booths of many organizations, and riding the SkyGlider, but a State Fair trip would not be complete without foot long corn dogs, cheese curds, and Sweet Martha’s cookies. However, by the end of the afternoon, the crowds were getting thicker than the mosquitoes and we decided to head for home. Our daughter and her friend announced their desire to stop at Chick-fil-A for supper before leaving the cities and thanks to smartphone technology, we were able to find one along our homeward route.
We have frequented Chick-fil-A restaurants in the past and have always been very pleased with their food, service, cleanliness, and atmosphere. So maybe it was the calorie hangover from Fair food, or the feeling of getting herded like cattle through the cheese curd pick-up line, or the rubbing of shoulders with thousands of impatient strangers for the past 6 hours, but I was particularly impressed during this visit. While we were there, every time we said “thank you” to a staff member, their response was “my pleasure”. “Thank you for our drinks… my pleasure; thank you for bringing our order to us… my pleasure; thank you for the refill… my pleasure.” Clearly this was part of their employee training program, but it still seemed sincere.
The more common response to a word of thanks is usually “you’re welcome”. This reply is definitely polite and indicates an acceptance of your thankfulness, but “my pleasure” goes beyond the familiar reaction. It seems to say that I was not only obligated to do the task for which you are thanking me, but it was my privilege and has also been a blessing to me and I enjoyed doing it.
As we left the restaurant, I began to think about all the times we say “thank you” in our prayers and I pondered what God’s response might be. I could imagine an obligated response from the Father, mostly because sometimes my appreciation seems perfunctory as well. But the Bible paints a much different picture for us. Ephesians 1 tells us about the grace which God has lavished on us through the giving of the One he loves, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12 continues with telling us that because of the joy set before him, Jesus endured the cross and all our sin and shame. That doesn’t sound like an obligated response to me. When I say “thank you” for God’s gift of salvation, I imagine he is saying, “My pleasure! It has been my privilege! I love you so much that I would have done it all—just for you! You are worth it!”
Jesus expects the same response from us. He commands his followers to serve one another and to love each other just as he loves us. As you go about your week, I pray that serving others, loving others, and helping others, would be your pleasure and privilege for the glory of God.
Erin Jacobsma
By the way, it is my sincere pleasure to serve as office administrator at ARC!