Don't Inarupt...Rude!

If you haven't seen the YouTube video highlighting BonQuiQui’s sensational level of customer service at King Burger you have not yet lived. Played by Anjelah Johnson (a Christian comedian – yes, Christians can be funny), BonQuiQui is just one of many characters who portray minority stereotypes. Definitely check out these videos – but leave the impersonations to Anjelah. You may lose a few brain cells, but we all need a way to de-stress.

BonQuiQui at King Burger: http://youtu.be/jZkdcYlOn5M

If you skipped over that link just to get to the rest of the post, I saw you. Please go back and click it like I asked the first time.

For those of you who now think my sense of humor is immature, you’re probably right. Keep in mind, though, I have acted interested in your “cute” potty training or ridiculously over sharing breastfeeding stories…they are only appropriate or interesting to you, so check yourself.

“Welcome to King Burger, where we can do it yo’ way, but don’t get crazy!”

Hmm…does that sound familiar to you? No? Let me package it a different way.

Lord, whatever is Your will is my desire. Show me what You want me to do and I’ll do it. Show me where You want me to go and I’ll go. Lead me, and I’ll follow. I am Yours…as long as it’s convenient. And can you throw in that [ring, job, baby, new house, healing, deliverance, etc.] I’ve been waiting for. I’ll go where You call me and I’ll do what You tell me, but can You just go ahead and bless me first? Then I’ll know You are listening and my faith will be strengthened.
 
Don’t get me wrong. To pray that whatever the Lord puts in front of us is what we will commit our lives to without any indication of what comes next is a terrifying prayer. Especially when we’ve been praying for things for so long and the Lord keeps answering what we think should be “Yes!” with “No” and “Not Yet.” I’ll be the first to admit that.

But notice how disrespectful, albeit hilarious, BonQuiQui’s character is in this clip.

Reading into this as more than a comedy clip, we can see that the reason for her insolence comes from the confusion of her role. BonQuiQui’s role is that of service. Her hired position is to make a customer’s experience positive, and her sole purpose in that role is to learn what they want, communicate it to the appropriate people and ensure that they receive it. However, she views every customer as a nuisance because she is much more interested in being paid to take personal calls or simplistic orders.

What is your role?

Are you a mother? A son? A banker? A student? A girlfriend? A teacher? A helper? Lost and confused?

If you are a Christian, you are first and foremost a server. Your role is to glorify God, and to serve Him through serving others.

I went through a season at my job where hearing the word "stress" would actually create stress in me. In my dual role, I am responsible for all aspects of one ministry and the support of another through administration. This often means that other people will come to me asking me to order supplies or for database assistance while I am shaping details for an event or activity for my students. Needless to say, I have appeared less than approachable at times (yes, even those working in a church sometimes have off days - gasp!)

This did not change until one day I recognized and acknowledged my role. My role as God’s servant is to do whatever He puts in front of me to the best of my ability. It does not matter if other people appreciate it, or if I have other things to do. My agenda does not compare to God’s agenda.

When I realized this, being interrupted became a lot easier. My plans took a backseat to what God wanted me to get done, and it was so freeing. In the mornings I would literally pray “I am only responsible to get done what You have prepared for me today. Help me to recognize it and complete it as unto You.”

This didn't get me off the hook, though. I couldn't forego planning the details of an experience and blame my laziness on "not feeling called by the Spirit." I still needed to do all that was in my natural power, but it did change my perspective about interruptions.

Most specifically, it changed my perspective about life interruptions. 

What happens when a friend dies…a parent becomes ill…a baby is lost…money is dwindling and a job is nowhere in sight?

Life has a way of interrupting our plans and spitting in our faces while we pick up the pieces of shattered hopes and dreams.

How do you handle those interruptions?

This week, I received some subtle, but important reminders of my role.

On Monday, I went to purchase a study only to find my wallet was missing. Because I tend to be absentminded, I just assumed I walked out of the house with it and took an early lunch to drive home. Only it wasn’t there. And it wasn’t in my car. And when I called my friend at work to look around my desk it wasn’t there either. Panic mode.

I then remembered that I went to Wal-Mart 24 hours earlier and that was the last place I used it. Crap. It’s gone. I might as well call the bank now and tell them to freeze my cards.

Instead I trusted the Lord. I trusted that there is still goodness to be found in others, and I was proved right. After visiting the customer service desk at Wal-Mart I received my wallet completely intact, including my cash and checkbook! Praise the Lord!

Driving back to work, my gas light came on. I’ve never been so happy to fill up my 16-gallon tank as I was when the money I thought I would never see again was resting in my hands -- only to never see again, courtesy of Citgo. But the Lord took care of me, yet again.

I was on a high and praising God left and right. That is, until Tuesday. Somehow, between Monday and Tuesday (I’m assuming as I left my doors wide open in my frantic search for my wallet) a nasty frog hopped his little way into my home. No, it was not cute and cuddly like Kermit, the felt puppet. It was gross, slimy, and pooped on my floor. And I did not notice it until Tuesday morning as I sat down to journal before work and the nasty little thing hopped right by my bed.

I had a full day ahead and wasn’t able to get the nasty little thing out until that evening close to midnight. Ok, my sister Stacey wasn’t able to get it out until that evening close to midnight, because I was a little pansy who refused to go back home unless she came with me.

I believe wholeheartedly that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28), the good, the bad, and the slimy.

Do I think the Lord intentionally placed a frog in my house because His plan was for me to worry about catching that than whatever I had on my personal agenda? Not necessarily.

Do I think He used Kermit to grab my attention and tell me to sit down and pause before life gets away from me? Most certainly.

Do I believe the Lord caused me to lose my wallet on Monday? Not at all. I was rushing and inattentive.

Do I think He used that opportunity for me to show kindness to others even in my time of distraction and despair? Absolutely.

Please don’t take these minor examples to think that I don’t know what it’s like for life to be interrupted in a real sense.

I know what it’s like to learn on your 18th birthday that you were given up for adoption as a baby, to learn that because of a completely preventable condition you may not be able to birth children of your own, to lose a friend to a drug overdose and to watch the most important person in your life suffer for over a year. I know about life's interruptions, I’m just not ready to talk publicly about those yet.

What I am ready to talk about is recognizing inconvenient interruptions as God-appointed interventions.

God has something planned for you today that is not on your schedule, not in your agenda, and is more than likely inconvenient.

But I guarantee that the time you take to respond to His whispers and talk to people you wouldn’t normally talk to, pray with people you wouldn’t normally “have the time” to be involved with, and do something outside of your comfort zone, that time will be rewarded and you will be blessed.

It’s not about being in the right place at the right time. It’s about holding your plans loosely and doing what God tells you to do when He tells you to do it.

"'I have the right to do anything,' you say - but not everything is beneficial.

'I have the right to do anything' - but not everything is constructive.

No one should seek their own good, but the good of others...

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,

do it all for the glory of God.'"

 I Corinthians 10:23-24, 31

 


And just because Anjelah’s my absolute favorite comedienne, I included some of my favorite videos for those of you who have nothing else better to do.

Navigation - http://youtu.be/VIbZVeQkd8c
Nail Salon - http://youtu.be/GoqcAe06Fz8
Bon Qui Qui Flight Attendant – http://youtu.be/jl6OqmYwmPY