August 4
I had a wonderful time this last week at the gathering of Southern Baptists in Phoenix, Arizona for our Annual convention. I haven’t been to a national convention since 1981 when it was held in Los Angeles. I’d always used the excuse that it was too expensive to go somewhere to argue with other Christians. But with it so close by, I decided to go. And am I glad I did. Along with enjoying the time I spent in the convention hall, I had a grand time seeing old friends in the exhibit hall and attending the alumni gatherings.
The highlight of the convention for me happened during the Golden Gate Theological Seminary Luncheon. The food was superb, the table setting was immaculate-linen cloth and a full dinner setting-and the response was huge-they had to bring in an extra table and chairs to house all the alumni and friends of this great seminary. Two significant things happened at the meeting. First, our former pastor, Dan Coker received the alumni of the year award. As you know, he is well deserving of the reward and his receiving it brought honor to our church. The second highlight was watching the response of Mrs. Jacques, the lady I sat next to when she saw the staff scurrying to meet the needs of the crowd. She didn’t complain. She didn’t ask to speak to the manager. She turned to her husband and asked, “Would it embarrass you if I go and get our table some coffee?” When he said no, she got up from our table, walked over to the server’s table and got the coffee. She didn’t pour hers then pass the carafe; she walked around the table and served everyone who wanted cup of coffee with their dessert. After serving everyone else, she poured herself a cup, put the carafe back and sat back down to enjoy her dessert with the rest of us.
Even at a dinner where she should have been pampered, she didn’t mind getting up to help those who serve us. That is the spirit of a person on mission. They don’t complain about problems, they solve them. Oh, there were good sermons preached, wonderful songs sung, great fellowship enjoyed, but my most memorable moment of the week was the sermon Mrs. Jacques preached by asking me the simple question, “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
Jim L. Wilson, Fresh Start Devotionals (Fresno, CA: Willow City Press, 2009).
Service
I had a wonderful time this last week at the gathering of Southern Baptists in Phoenix, Arizona for our Annual convention. I haven’t been to a national convention since 1981 when it was held in Los Angeles. I’d always used the excuse that it was too expensive to go somewhere to argue with other Christians. But with it so close by, I decided to go. And am I glad I did. Along with enjoying the time I spent in the convention hall, I had a grand time seeing old friends in the exhibit hall and attending the alumni gatherings.
The highlight of the convention for me happened during the Golden Gate Theological Seminary Luncheon. The food was superb, the table setting was immaculate-linen cloth and a full dinner setting-and the response was huge-they had to bring in an extra table and chairs to house all the alumni and friends of this great seminary. Two significant things happened at the meeting. First, our former pastor, Dan Coker received the alumni of the year award. As you know, he is well deserving of the reward and his receiving it brought honor to our church. The second highlight was watching the response of Mrs. Jacques, the lady I sat next to when she saw the staff scurrying to meet the needs of the crowd. She didn’t complain. She didn’t ask to speak to the manager. She turned to her husband and asked, “Would it embarrass you if I go and get our table some coffee?” When he said no, she got up from our table, walked over to the server’s table and got the coffee. She didn’t pour hers then pass the carafe; she walked around the table and served everyone who wanted cup of coffee with their dessert. After serving everyone else, she poured herself a cup, put the carafe back and sat back down to enjoy her dessert with the rest of us.
Even at a dinner where she should have been pampered, she didn’t mind getting up to help those who serve us. That is the spirit of a person on mission. They don’t complain about problems, they solve them. Oh, there were good sermons preached, wonderful songs sung, great fellowship enjoyed, but my most memorable moment of the week was the sermon Mrs. Jacques preached by asking me the simple question, “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
Jim L. Wilson, Fresh Start Devotionals (Fresno, CA: Willow City Press, 2009).
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