Most of you who will read my posts already know me personally and therefore know I work at Chick fil A in my hometown. But you might not know why I work there (besides the obvious reason that is a great way to earn money) and why I love it! Well, let me tell you. :)
I still remember the day I went to Chick fil A to do an open interview. I was so nervous, and honestly I didn't want to be there at first. But money was getting really tight, I was in my second year at Ivy Tech, and I was bored of only going to school, doing homework and volunteering at a local preschool. Plus a friend of mine really encouraged me to apply at the store, ensuring me it would be an awesome experience for me. So I thought, "Why not? At least it'll be a way to earn money."
My friend was right about it being an awesome experience! What started off as a job just to earn some money and earn my way through school (with the help of my parents and a few scholarships) turned into a beautiful daily experience and a mission for God's kingdom. During my interviews, the owner of the store and the executive manager at the time spent more time asking me personal questions and striving to get to know me on a personal level, and that really impressed me! They obviously saw me as an individual, not just as a potential employer. They also both asked me a lot of questions regarding my hearing loss, how I coped with it, what THEY could do to make this job easier for me, and seemed impressed that I was so independent regardless of my hearing loss. That really blessed me, and I knew I would love working for this company.
And I do! I absolutely adore working for Chick fil A!
As I said, Chick-fil-A is not only my part time job; it is also my mission field. God calls us to do EVERYTHING for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). I have an opportunity to do that every time I work at the store. When I am at Chick fil A, I have the opportunity to serve other people, both customers and co-workers, friends and strangers. And I have the opportunity to be a light for Christ through the act of service. Those opportunities come in many different forms; through sharing a smile, saying "My pleasure!" sincerely, carrying trays to the table for the guests, being patient with my co workers and the guests, giving children free ice-cream, and showing genuine care for the customers as individuals. Even less pleasant work, such as cleaning the tables, the bathrooms, or mopping the floors, have become a mission for Jesus to me. At first, I didn't consider these tasks as ways I could honor Christ (I mean, emptying the trash can?? Really? How is that being a light to Jesus?). But further into my time at Chick-fil-A, I realized that doing these things were how I could serve our team and our guest, and God says that when we serve others we bring glory to God. Guests like having a clean place to eat (and I do too, quite frankly), and I can serve God by making sure they have a clean dining experience. Clearing the guest's tray for them show them that we want to serve them the best we can, and when we do that, we are serving Christ (Matthew 25:40).
Another way my job at Chick fil A has become a mission field is by showing love for, interest in, and genuine care for the guests and my teammates. There have been many times when I've had the opportunity to just talk with a guest (or a couple of guests) and hear about what is going on in their lives, share a smile with them, and help them get everything they need in order to enjoy a meal together as a family. There are even a couple of regular guests that I now consider friends, and it is always a blessing to see them at the store and hear what God has been doing in their lives. (I greatly respect and admire a couple that frequent the store. They've been married for 60+ years! So amazing! It is always a joy to see them at the store and hear what God has been doing in their lives. And they have told me that they pray for me all the time, that I will be able to do well in school. What a blessing!!)
I consider each of my teammates a friend, and I love hearing about what God is doing in their lives and just see their smiling faces at work. I pray for each of them often (I need to make sure I pray for them daily, though), and I love working alongside each of them. God created some amazing and beautiful people! Friendship is one of His greatest gifts to us, and I'm so blessed to have so many wonderful Chick fil A friends! Going to work is often fun because it means working alongside my friends to serve God and others. We have a lot of fun together, even on stressful days! Being friends with your coworkers makes it easier to work together, accomplish our mission, and help each other out. The many friendships God has given me through the Chick fil A team is probably the number one reason I love working for this company!
This last point I want to make is by no means the least important reason I love working at Chick fil A. I love working at Chick fil A because my co workers, the managers, and our operator show an incredible amount of respect for me despite my hearing loss and work so well with me. I have NEVER had to deal with anyone getting frustrated with me when I cannot hear them well or am having trouble understanding them. Nor do they allow my hearing loss be a limit to what they let me help with. Andrew still hired me even after hearing about the struggles I sometimes face due to my hearing loss, and he is always letting me try to do things even if they could be a struggle at first. During my first year at Chick fil A I only worked in the dining room because my old hearing aids made it difficult for me to understand the guests when they ordered and block out the background noise while at the register. But when I got my new, better-quality digital hearing aids two years ago, I asked if I could try working at the register one day, and the leadership team were willing to give it a go. I am so thankful they were because now I can help the store out by working both in the dining room and on the register; and I love doing both!!
Due to my imperfect hearing, I probably say the word "What?" or ask my coworkers to repeat themselves more often than I would like to admit, and I am sure it must be annoying or frustrating for my coworkers at times; but not once have any of them EVER displayed anger or frustration toward me when they need to repeat themselves. I am SO THANKFUL for that! It makes my job so much easier, and it really boosts my confidence in myself. Knowing that I can ask my co workers and the leaders to repeat themselves without fearing that I am being annoying or a nuisance is so reassuring to me. Chick fil A is really good at working with all their employees, and not allowing ANY disability or difficulty be a nuisance or a hindrance. I love that they allow me to challenge myself and overcome my disability by working at the register and talking directly with the guests in the dining room. The amount of respect I receive at Chick fil A is such a treasure to me (and they probably don't even realize how much respect they actually give me!) To me, this is true Christianity in action: being willing to see an individual as a child of God who is more than capable to do His work despite their disability. It is an amazing way of loving others like Christ loves them.
I couldn't ask for a better part time job while I continue my education. I am always so excited to come back home and serve God and others alongside my friends. Getting paid is just a bonus! So, the next time someone asks me why on earth I spend my break working at Chick fil A or why I would drive home on a weekend just to spend a few hours at the store, I'll tell them this: Because every day I spend at the store, I can see the hand of God at work in my life and the life of others; and I can make sure that every act I do is for HIS glory. And nothing can compare to that!
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
~ 1 Corinthians 10:31
No comments:
Post a Comment