Have you ever worked in the food service industry? I haven’t, but my sweetie did when he was younger. Since knowing him, I’ve grown to respect those who cook and bring us our food; it is a tough industry. In fact, Eric wants each of our kids to spend at least six months working in food service at some level so they’ll learn to work hard, communicate well with others, and so they’ll have to sweat as much as he did ~smile~ {Eric’s note: And also so they learn what it is like to serve the public.}. Since I have enjoyed my jobs in calm offices surrounded by staplers, paperclips, and file cabinets, I haven’t had the opportunity to experience the food service industry first hand, but my hat is off to them as they scurry around, listen to a barrage of complaints, and balance everything with ease. Perhaps it’s my sense of balance (or lack thereof…) which led me to work in an office instead of a restaurant? Then again, I did take that terrible spill down the steps at my beloved office that day… anyway, I digress.
Call us weird, but Eric and I love leaving generous tips. We can’t do it often, but occasionally we feel the urge to leave a larger than ordinary gratuity. Sometimes we do it because the service was incredible! Sometimes we do it because we feel that the server could use it and could use a bright spot in his or her day. Whatever the reason, we enjoy digging a little deeper from time to time.
As you and your sweetheart prepare to combine your money once you are married, consider ways you can bless others with your finances. Setting aside a little extra money to use on an amazing tip for a phenomenal waitress is one way to bless someone else with your money. If he or she is going above and beyond to do a good job, it’s not charity to give a little extra. It’s simply rewarding him or her for doing such an excellent job and making your meal as pleasant as possible.
But let me tell you, giving a nice tip will make YOU feel awesome too. Hoarded money is never as satisfying as money that is generously given away. Unless your funds are exceptionally high, you probably won’t be able to over-tip all the time; however, I would encourage you to save some extra money and bless a great waiter’s or waitress’ socks off one day. ~smile~
Once, I heard one of my friends tell me about a professor at my alma mater who was talking to a young waitress about the Lord. When he left her a tip, he wrote a note that said “maybe this is one way God wants to bless you today” and he left her a $10 tip. To my knowledge, all he got that day was a cup of coffee. Ten extra dollars may not seem like much, but it can make a difference! And if you are going to witness about Christ to your waiter or waitress, please, please, please don’t leave a flimsy tip. Have you ever heard that “church people” tend to be horrible tippers? It’s often true, it’s sad, and it needs to change.
A few years back, Eric and I went to the Melting Pot. We don’t go often, but we thoroughly enjoy it when we do. This particular time, we went on a weeknight and we noticed that the place wasn’t very full. We asked our waitress, a local college student, why the dining room was so bare. She told us that since the economy had gotten so poor, fewer and fewer people were coming in to eat. I’m not sure if Eric felt the Holy Spirit tug at his heart or if he just felt like being generous, but he suggested we leave her an enormous-size tip. We agreed on an amount and wrote it into the receipt before we left. As we were getting up to leave, I saw her from across the room smiling from ear to ear. Let me tell you, that was awesome. Sometimes, size does matter. ~smile~ Buying something for ourselves with that money would not have been as satisfying as it was to see her beautiful smile.
So, begin your marriage (or continue your dating relationship) with a spirit of giving. Find small and large ways to bless others together as a team. Waitresses… pizza delivery guys… parking attendants… tip them and brighten their day!
When was the last time you blessed someone financially? When was the last time someone blessed you financially? How did it feel?