Exceptional Service

I recently experienced exceptional service at a local garden centre. I had been given two rose bushes last year for Mother's Day, which bloomed beautifully through the summer and fall, but which looked like dried leaves and twigs this spring. Fortunately, they came with a one year guarantee for replacement. Even though I returned them this week, two months past the one year date, I was cheerfully given plants amounting to the full value of my original purchase. The lady who served me, did so without reluctance and with a smile. Needless to say, her actions have influenced me to be a loyal customer who will be back; not for the low prices, but the excellent service.

This all got me thinking about my attitude toward service. Many times I'm like the clerk who will give you what is required, but only that and nothing more.

As a stay at home mom with five children, my life is about providing services: laundry, shopping, food preparation, cleaning, schedule organization and chauffeur service... just to name a few. I am not proud to admit that very few of these are provided with a smile. I often bemoan the fact that I am the one who's folding the laundry again, or I am the one still cleaning up the kitchen when everyone else has moved on to their next (relaxing) activity. And while my goal is to train my children, especially my boys, to do all aspects of housekeeping so that they will one day be a blessing to their spouses, there's still lots of things that I'm left doing.

I need to make a choice.

I can either serve reluctantly, or (at least somewhat) cheerfully. As with so many things in life, it comes down to having the right attitude.

I'd much rather be on the receiving end of good service, than providing it. Recently, I was reading in my Bible that even Jesus "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(Mark 10:45) This really challenged me, because if anyone deserves to be served, it's Jesus. Yet, he came not to be served but to serve others; even to the point of giving up his life. So, with Jesus as my example, I desire to look to be a servant, rather than to be the one who is being served. And while it may feel like I might collapse in exhaustion some days, I'm not in danger of yielding my life in service.

So, while your travelling through your life, I encourage you to notice when someone gives exceptional service. But even more importantly, strive to serve others- with a smile.