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Ralph
By Scott Harrup | January 14, 2008
We spent Christmas week in Fort Wayne, Ind., with my wife’s family. As luck, or Providence, would have it, my brother-in-law needed to replace the battery in both of their vehicles the same weekend. He and I made the drive to the local Wal-Mart SuperCenter.
Waiting in line at the auto service desk, I listened to the gentleman at the cash register explain the warranty conditions on some tires to the customer in front of Bill and me. The attendant’s voice was rich and warm. He transformed a recitation of a product guarantee into a homily.
And it wasn’t just what he said. His interaction with the customer spoke of a 24-hour-a-day commitment to treating others kindly.
I had to ask.
“Ralph,” I said as Bill and I approached the counter and I could read his nametag, “are you a retired minister?”
He smiled. “Why, yes, I am. How did you guess?”
“You’ve got the voice,” I told him. “My dad retired in 2006 from his church in Missouri.”
“Praise the Lord,” Ralph said with a smile.
“What church did you serve with?” I asked.
It turned out to be a branch of the Church of Christ in Ohio I had not heard of.
Bill bought the batteries for his minivans, and Ralph gave him his signature treatment.
When I think of Ralph, I do a little internal housekeeping. I’m not a minister, but I still represent Christ. Do I communicate His love and compassion when I interact with others, even in the mundane areas of life?
Could I turn the reading of a warranty into a homily?
I’ll be working on that.
Topics: Family Life |
January 20th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Hi Scott, this is Mary Jo Morris. Rob and I are now in Liberty TWP Ohio. At this moment Rob is in Bolivia on a missions trip! I enjoyed reading these posts, and will come back to read more. Hope all in your family are well. God bless!