The Catbird Seat

Last week in church, the pastor taught Luke 2: 25-32.

It is the passage about Simeon, who had a revelation from God that he would not die until he saw the Messiah, the “Lord’s Christ.”

I’ve read this passage of Scripture many times, and have probably heard sermons preached about it as well. This time, though, was different.

Jim Fitzgerald, the pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church, began his sermon by pointing out that Simeon was a waiter.

Inside, I chuckled a little, thinking of Simeon waiting tables at a restaurant.

The pastor continued, pointing out that the Bible describes Simeon as one who was “waiting for the consolation of Israel.” He must have said 18 times that Simeon “was a waiter.”

I was just starting to wonder where he was going with this, when he did, in fact, start going somewhere.

And where he went surprised me, and started a line of thinking in me that has continued on to today.

He talked about how waiting is good for us. “Therapeutic”, he called it.

He described the many virtues, foremost of which is patience, that come through waiting.

He talked at length about what waiting involves (watching, being alert, anticipating, hoping), and what it does not involve (inactivity, passivity).

And finally, he pointed out that waiting is at the very nature and core of God.

This is the point that I was hooked. God? A wait-er?

As he fleshed out that point (and I became convinced that it was a good one), he talked about how God easily could have “fixed” the sin of Adam and Eve on the spot, but instead chose to redeem and restore the sin of all mankind through a process that has involved thousands of years and many, many faithful believers and servants of God.

Which involved waiting.

And it was at that point that I realized that being a wait-er and a waiter are a whole lot more alike than I thought.

Especially a good one. Waiter, that is.

I’ve only been to a 5-star restaurant once in my 35 years, but it is an experience I will never forget.

The restaurant was “The Boar’s Head” in Nashville, and I was served by a waiter in a way that has changed my view of waiters forever.

It was there that I experienced what true waiters should be.

Every dining need that I had was graciously met, and often before I even realized that I had a need.

My waiter (yes, mine. Each of us in our party had our own waiter) stood silently behind me, watching closely as I ate and drank that amazing meal. Just as I was beginning to reach the bottom of my water glass, a hand would appear and fill it full again.

When I finished my last bite, and put my fork down, the hand again appeared and removed my plate, the silverware I had used, and all the crumbs that had made it to the table. A clean plate and silverware for the next course were arranged before I even looked up. It was like magic.

I never had to call for him. I never had to signal across the room that I needed something. I never even looked over my shoulder to demonstrate my request.

And the reason I never had to do any of these things is that he was waiting on me.

The whole time.

Watching. Anticipating. Responding. Serving.

I have never in my life received that kind of attention and service.

It was luxurious. I felt like a Queen.

And amazingly, I could feel the satisfaction emanating from my waiter as he served me. He knew that he was serving well. You could tell that he took pride in it. He wanted to anticipate and meet those needs without me having to ask.

It made me feel incredibly valuable. And deeply grateful. I was able to thoroughly and completely enjoy my meal, the company of friends and coworkers, and even that fine service, without a single distraction.

What would it be like if we waited on God, and each other, like that? What if that’s what waiting is really all about?

Can you imagine?

Eagerly anticipating, and taking pleasure in meeting the needs of others that we serve.

Taking pride in not having to be asked to help another person in need.

Desiring to be used by God, and being ready at a moment’s notice to do whatever is required of us.

It would change the world as we know it.

Makes me want to be a waiter.

Filed under: General, Catbird, Like a fire, Random Thoughts on December 18th, 2006