Generous Living

Yesterday, Jan and I went out on a celebration date. We have been blessed by God in this season of our lives and simply wanted to celebrate His goodness. I planned a lunch for us at a favorite restaurant followed by a movie.

After lunch, I visited the restroom. While in the restroom, I realized I had yielded to the convenience of not wanting to hassle with breaking a larger bill for a larger tip. I left a tip that was adequate even by a hard-working waitress standard, but it missed the mark of how God wants me to live. The Lord said, “Remember, I have not called you to leave just an adequate tip. I have called you to generous tipping.” 

When I left the restroom, Jan was standing by the register. Our waitress was also there preparing another customer's order. I looked over and noticed she had not yet processed our bill. I could still see my two $20’s and the bill on the table.  I walked over to the register and handed the waitress a larger bill and asked for some change. Just as I turned to go back to the table to leave the extra tip money, my cell phone rang. I wasn’t in my pocket. It was on the table! I forgot about my phone. Had I not obeyed the nudge of the Lord, I would have walked out and left my phone behind. 

The incident in the restaurant affirmed a few things for me. God has not called His people to leave behind a meager testimony. That testimony includes tipping. The difference between just an OK tip and a blessing is not much, but it matters. Also, had I not gone back to the register to up the tip amount, I would not have been in a place to hear my cell phone ringing on the table. Obedience is a form of protection. It allows God to position us in places where He can care for us and make sure we reconnect with things like forgotten cell phones. When we obey God, we allow Him to reveal just how much He cares about the little things in our life. It was also a reminder that Jan and I were in the restaurant for something not on the menu, but on God's heart.

By the way, the phone call was from a telemarketer. God can use anyone and anything to bless His kids, even an annoying telemarketer.