I was never asked to deny Jesus or recant the Christian Bible. I was given an opportunity to wait on tables and earn a living to pay my rentals, school fees for the children and put bread on the table. I was never asked to do anything illegal, unethical or immoral things that would compromise my Christian faith and convictions. I did not use the Christian faith, my preaching skills or eloquence of speech to manipulate people in order to exploit them financially. Even though scripture teaches not to muzzle an Ox while it's treading the corn, and that he who preaches the word must find his livelihood through the word, I didn't use that to my advantage. I refused to peddle the gospel for profit.
Today I share two testimonies I encountered on the floor as a Pastor while waiting on tables that taught me tolerance. People come to the restaurant to eat not to come for a moral regeneration talk. So came a lesbian couple. Two of us on the floor so I moved to welcome them, give them menus and move to tell the waitress in-charge of the section to attend to her table. She told me she can't serve a lesbian couple because she is a Jew. Yes she maybe Jew but she was not a religious type. We can't keep a table waiting for service while we discuss our religious reasons why we cannot serve the table.
I accepted to do the table. They ordered expensive champagnes and I popped it gracefully and poured it for them. As I went back to the waiters station my manager teased me. "Pastor serving champagne to a lesbian couple". I told her I was doing my job. My couple were so romantic that they turned heads in the restaurant as they kept passing romantic gestures kissing, holding hands, glancing at each other. As I continued to serve them with a smile they liked me. They tipped me over 20% gratuity and thanked me for service rendered. As I returned home I asked myself if I had done anything wrong for serving a lesbian table. I asked myself if I was a teller at Checkers Supermarket would I refuse to sell the customer because of their sexual orientation? If I was working as a salesman at a car dealership would I refuse to sell a car to someone because of their sexual orientation? If I was serving soup & bread to the homeless would I withhold a plate of food from a hungry person because of their sexual orientation?
The second incident happened at a pick season when the restaurant is usually very full. For those who don't know waiters are allocated tables. We call them sections. So I was busy serving my tables on my section when a man at another table called me. As usual even if it's not your table you are expected to help another table if they need something. This man was very rude shouting at me for orders I knew nothing of. Then he called me "you bloody monkey". Oh my Word! Pastors you need to know that when you become so personal arrogantly demanding tithes from members, they go through humiliation and hell to earn their wage. Respect them! I moved quietly and quickly went to serve my table. The ladies on my table said "No Lawrence don't allow this man to treat you like that". One of the ladies said to me, "go pour wine on his face". I said No! I am not paid to deal with difficult customers, my manager will sort them out. Though I was attacked by a white man, the white women on my table couldn't take it. They contacted the owner of the restaurant, and he came and asked this man and his guests to leave and never come back. It felt bad to be a pastor waiting on tables and being called a monkey by a customer.
I am not homophobic though in my Christian persuasion I believe in heterosexual marriage. However, the restaurant is a place of eating and drinking that doesn't require patrons to align to a particular sexual orientation. I don't have to check you pants to prove if you are John or Jelita, white or black. When you enter the restaurant, we treat you as our guest and offer you the same level of service and hospitality that we offer to Jews, whites, heterosexuals and non-religious guests. I know not to generalize racism. It was the white person who attacked me, and it was white women who heard him and stood Up for me. As Pastor waiting on tables I learnt humility & servitude.
I understood that I was a broken man, serving broken people, and my attitude towards them often ignited conversations that created opportunities to share my Christian faith.
Your job might be perceived as a lowly & despised but remember in our work we model our Christian light in market places. At the market place you will encounter xenophobes, homophobes, racists, tribalists and sexists. Yours is a ministry of reconciliations not the one to enable injustice towards others.
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