Serve Your Customers for God’s Sake

This post is seventh in our study of 9 Ways to Honor God at Work.

God is honored when you serve your customers.

We know that the second great commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. But who is your neighbor? One lawyer asked Jesus that very question, and Jesus answered with a story.

The story of the Good Samaritan tells of a man serving the first person he comes across.

Jesus did not tell a story of door-to-door evangelism, and he did not talk about inviting your next-door neighbor over for dinner. Jesus described a man willing to serve someone he found on the street.

Our neighbors are the people we see around us, particularly those we see every day. They are our customers.

During college, I tutored in an elementary school. That meant I traveled between classrooms and helped struggling students in a number of classes. I had the chance to watch many teachers, and I was surprised by how differently they treat students.

Some teachers were very professional, almost like I would expect in a college classroom. Others treated the students like a frustration, expecting better behavior than most 8-year-olds can consistently achieve. Still others treated the classroom like a summer camp, trying to keep a fun atmosphere all day, every day.

But one teacher stood out. I knew she was a Christian, but her students didn’t. She wasn’t allowed to talk about her faith during school hours, but that didn’t keep her from living out her faith.

Her classroom stood out from all the rest. The students were more attentive, and the atmosphere was less chaotic. Her tone was more respectful, and her attitude was joyful. The students loved her, and every day ended with goodbye hugs. She loved the students well, serving them as students and as people.

I will never forget her always calling the students “friends.” “Friends, it’s time to put away our books, so that we can switch to the next lesson,” she would say.

Even though the teacher was not permitted to share the gospel with those children, God was honored. Her loving service was a testimony to her salvation.

Even though we aren’t all teachers, almost all of our jobs involve personal interaction. Every one of those interactions is a chance to honor God. Each of those customers is your neighbor.

Martin Luther wrote that our job is “a channel for God’s love to the world and his care of human beings.”¹ Luther knew that the Kingdom of God requires more than just the preaching of the Gospel. Christ’s Kingdom also goes forth through acts of love and service. Your job is your chance to honor God through love and service.

God placed you in your job and gave you customers for a reason. Perhaps you have students, or maybe you have clients. Whatever your situation, this week remember that your customers are your neighbor and that God calls you to love and serve them. Serve your customers, and in doing so honor the Lord.

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If you would like to read more about these ideas and see them spelled out in a little more detail, you can find my short ebook on Amazon.

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1. Gustav Wingren, Luther on Vocation (Eugene, Ore.: Wipf & Stock, 2004), p. 125.

Photo Credit: Ben110 (Creative Commons)