Feed My Sheep

I have been going to a particular Starbucks consistently since November. One might imagine I would see several different baristas throughout those months because of how big the company is and how many employees it has, not to mention how quick a turnaround time any Starbucks could have. Instead, I have come to know several employees so well they know me by name. In fact, I walk into the store and am greeted with a personal hello. One employee even starts making my drink before I order.

Going to a Starbucks is a highlight of my day. I normally walk in feeling highly stressed due to my job but when I enter I immediately decompress because I will be taken care of there. In today’s gospel, Jesus asks Peter to take care of His sheep (of course, Jesus is calling Peter to the papacy). Nevertheless, we are all called to take care of our fellow sheep, each other. There are hundreds of Starbucks throughout the world, but in that one Starbucks I have found peace and comfort. The main reason for this is the special people who have chosen to truly feed the Lord’s sheep.

Throughout my travels, I have encountered several kinds of employees like these, mostly in coffee shops, some in Subways or Chick Fil As, etc. To my surprise, my greatest joys on my journeys are getting to know these people. Working with the public can be excruciatingly hard because as consumers, we can be picky and get irritated when we don’t get what we order. It takes a unique type of person who can endure the demands of a customer driven business every day and still smile and show the joy within his or her heart to other people.

There is an exchange between employee and customer. Not only does the employee have the opportunity to “feed His sheep” but customers have a responsibility to “feed” His sheep too. I believe I need to show respect for these employees by thanking them for their services. A smile can mean a lot and the joy I give back can bear great fruit, such as actual friendships with these employees.

We all live in a community and at this time we are all in need and must be fed. I believe as this world continues to fall into darkness, we will start to see the importance of supporting one another. We don’t have to make grand gestures; it can be as simple as the act of feeding earth other.

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Originally published at Kitty in the City.

Photo: Public Domain