Let Me Get That For You
In defense of the coffee-pouring working mommies
It was go time. I was finally leading a design presentation for a potential client’s luxury jet, and you could smell the money and power in the room. It was my first real assignment in my professional career, and I was gearing up when the client’s rep told me to go make coffee.
Everything in me swelled up for a moment, before collapsing into the thought that I was, indeed, the youngest, least experienced, poorest, most hormonal person in the room. I was a young mommy and the only woman there, so, yeah, most hormonal for sure.
I started to march out to get the only other woman in the building, our department assistant, to come in and pour coffee. Then I thought, why am I about to make a power move on another human being?
It was to prove my identity to someone who did not care and would likely not even realize his social blunder. It also reinforced the idea that women were the only people who could lift a coffee pot. So, for no reason, then.
So I made coffee. For most of them. Then I did my presentation.
Okay before we get to wig-flipping and protests, here’s why I spent 10 minutes making sure I had taken care of everyone. Partially its the codependency I struggled with in my 20’s, not gonna lie. Mostly, it’s because I am who I am whether I am cleaning the toilet or making presentations - a child of the Most High God, a valuable citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven, and no one can take that from me no matter what their opinion is of me. My Lord and savior considered nothing beneath him and told everyone with ears he came as a servant, and only did as he was told by his Father.
Joseph served everyone in his life with humility, no matter if he was in prison, or in the palace. Job served God when it cost him everything he had, and he lived in humiliation for a time before his restoration in the eyes of his peers.
I hear all the time people saying that they “tried being nice” but only got taken advantage of and will not make that mistake again. Of course you got taken advantage of- it’s what hurting people in a fallen world do. We are called to be better than this world, and to lead as servants to all people. What we are not called to, is ingratiating ourselves before others who continue to hurt us because we are looking to them to affirm and confirm us. That is not the job of people. It’s nice when it happens, but true confirmation comes from God alone.
Our identity in Christ carries the key component of service. Serve fearlessly. Serve when people don’t understand, show appreciation, or congratulate you. Serve proudly, as one who is bestowed with innumerable gifts that are meant for the sharing. Serve as one who is wealthy in all things, and knows where and when to dispense it. Serve as one who knows that heaven supplies all the needs, and you are giving not of yourself alone, but out of the storehouses of all the generations before.
Before I poured the coffee, I took a moment to remind myself I was the only person in the room with the knowledge they were seeking. I was prepared, had everything together, and even had good hair that morning. I had all the power I needed, and grace enough for the momentary identity crisis. Then the Lord provided the grace I needed to overlook the bad manners of a tired traveling client rep who just needed a good cup of coffee to start acting like a decent person.
I even got an apology- whether it was for my regal demeanor or the strength of the coffee, I may never know, but I took it and moved on.
Reflection
1. Are there areas of your life where serving is difficult, embarrassing, or causes feelings of shame? What are they?
2. Try and define the difference between servanthood and enslavement. Who has the power in each definition?
3. Do you have difficulty discerning when to serve and when to rest? Define what circumstances may require you to rest rather than serve.
Goals
Find three words or phrases that will help you maintain a servant’s heart when circumstances make it difficult:
The greatest one among you will live as the one who is called to serve others, because the greatest honor and authority is reserved for the one with the heart of a servant. For even the Son of Man did not come expecting to be served by everyone, but to serve everyone, and to give his life in exchange for the salvation of many.” (Matthew 20:26-28)