cold shoulder, sore shoulder

Yesterday, it seemed, was about the shoulder.

it was Wednesday, the day I usually spend with mom. She had a doctor's appointment, then we planned to get lunch and hit a few other places for sake of 'the list'. What has happened to customer service?

The women who work the desk at the doctors office seem to have forgotten how to smile. To say good morning. To care. It takes so little effort really to turn the corners of our mouths UP and offer some pleasant exchanges. Perhaps I am more aware of this common courtesy since going back to work at Curves where part of my job is all about servicing the members.

The hostess who took our money at the lunch buffet did not meet our eyes. She did not welcome us or greet us in any way. She looked at us with a flat expression except for pursed lips, told us how much the total was and did not even say thank you when we handed over the money. I tried unsuccessfully to engage her but she was seemingly uninterested.

I should point out that at both the doctors and the restaurant we were the only people there. It's not like it was a busy, hustling bustling place.

There seems to be be less store employees on the floor in the large stores, making it harder to ask for help. Mom and I wandered around trying to find products and hoping to find a store clerk who might point us the in the right direction.

I guess we were invisible. 

At the last place I shopped yesterday I waited for a dressing room to try clothes.  Again, I tried making eye contact with the young lady who was working behind the counter but she seemed quite consumed with something on her counter. I have shopped this store before and have usually been offered the bathroom as an alternative dressing room when the dressing rooms are occupied. Perhaps this young lady thought I was a new store mannequin draped with several sale items because my presence was never acknowledged.  Yet when I finally slipped into a dressing room, as I tried on my selected clothing, I heard the sales girl offer the bathroom as a back up dressing room to another customer who was waiting.

Interesting!

Later, as I shared with my husband about my tiring day, the lack of customer service, and as I whimpered over my very sore shoulder, which had decided to act up ALL DAY LONG, hubby offered me some words to consider:

Perhaps God is trying to teach us something about humility. About learning to get along with out the need for acknowledgment or words of affirmation.  Words of Affirmation are so vital to most of us. Well, it is certainly my husbands love language and while I may not claim it as mine, I definitely feel injured when affirmation is not forthcoming. 

Perhaps we are being given opportunities to give with out receiving anything in exchange. And to not be defined by these things. Just because we are treated as invisible does not mean we ARE. We should not let these things feed our self esteem.... feed the LIES that the enemy wants us to swallow. Maybe these are the times where really SERVING Christ comes into play. After all it is easy to serve someone who appreciates it but serving someone who treats you with disdain or indifference? That is when we get the opportunity to really SHINE the Light of Christ.

As it says in Matthew 5, if we love only those who love us, what reward is there for that? If we are kind only to our friends, how are we different from anyone else? As a Christ follower, I have a higher calling. To love as Christ loves. To love regardless of circumstances.

Regardless of cold shoulders or sore shoulders.