My family will tell you that I have recently taken to making this statement on a regular basis: “There is no such thing as customer service anymore.” I say it often because I find more and more that the entities we came to rely upon for service and hospitality have made it clear that customer service is no longer a priority.
Now, I know that my age is leaking out with this complaint, because in all honesty this is not new. Remember when gas stations – appropriately called “service stations” at the time – would swarm you at the gas pump and minister to your car like you were a celebrity? Remember when airlines had real hearty meals, amenities, and appeared to value both you and your possessions while you traveled? Does anyone remember the maxim “the customer is always right?”
I believe that the difference between change in service before and change in service now is a disturbing one. Before, most of the basic amenities we came to expect from businesses became luxuries – because that meant they could upcharge and reserve the great service for those who could pay for it. That is business, and while it hits the normal consumer as being unfair, it is the way of capitalism. But today? Real service is no longer available at any price – and nobody seems to care. 
As believers we are created and called to bear the image of Christ. And unless we have been reading the Word incorrectly all along, Jesus’ life was one of service to others. Mark 10:45 says “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus’ purpose was to serve and to save, and His actions reflected a heart of service despite who He was. We so easily forget that Jesus was like every other man in that he was responsible for keeping Himself and His ministry moving – which meant a need to work hard, travel frequently, and find ways to sustain Himself and those working beside Him. He carried those responsibilities and still dedicated His life to serving others before Himself.
In my day job, I work for a non-profit ministry in their IT department. My position title is IT Service Manager – I am responsible for the level of service that IT provides to the rest of the ministry. And guess what? Until now, the service has not been good. Many would actually say it has not been service at all. Like some law enforcement officers, the IT department had moved from the notions of serve and protect and simply became enforcement. It would never have come to that point without cause, but regardless of the reason, people looked at IT as a hurdle, not as a help.
Have you ever considered that the BMV (or DMV if you are from anywhere other than Ohio) is a service center? They exist for the sole reason of serving the public and enabling us to abide by traffic and vehicular laws. Have you ever felt served when you visit one of their offices? Can you look at it as anything other than inconvenience? Have you ever dealt with any kind of state aid like food stamps and healthcare assistance? God bless them for what they do, but the experience is usually nightmarish at best. And for many who are in a position to need these things, this experience
deals a blow to their dignity as people, and it can make a bad situation worse.
As a society we have forgotten why service is so important. And it is just as important to the servant as it is to the served. Disney is a company that understands this, and they are one of the few companies left that understands the difference real service can make – and as a result they are richer and more widely known than they have ever been at any point in history – it sets them apart from everyone else. In their animated film “Beauty and the Beast” the character of Lumiere sings the line “Life is so unnerving for a servant who’s not serving.” When you are created for the purpose of serving, you will never feel the fulfillment of life as Christ designed unless you are serving others and in turn serving God.
Further, 1 Peter 4:9-10a states “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” God has gifted us specifically for this purpose – to serve. But there is more to that verse than simply the imperative of service – we are to do so without grumbling. This speaks to the condition of the BMV and state aid offices – when you are being served by someone who is miserable in their service, it affects the whole experience. We are called to serve, and called to do so with joy in the fact Christ served us in the greatest way imaginable.
What does this mean as a church? It means we need to get out there and serve the people. But more than that, if we serve while our countenance is one of mourning our faith rather than celebrating it, what do we accomplish? Plus, we need to make it our practice to serve well, and to do so because it reflects Christ’s image as we are called to do and not because it makes us money or brings us notoriety. We serve for the purpose of pointing others to Christ through our good works and our joy in carrying them out.
Where do you start? Start in your church. There are always things that need doing – lawns mowed, toilets cleaned, chairs set up – the list is endless. In your personal life, serve your neighbors when and where you can – bring their trash cans back when you grab yours, shovel their walk, or maybe just bring them some cookies. Show people that they matter – that they are a priority even amid your ridiculously busy life. Service instills value, value instills esteem, and esteem builds people up in the way we are commanded to encourage each other. At my company we call this the “Second Mile Attitude” – Matthew 5:41 – “If anyone forces you to go with them a mile, go with them for two.”
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