Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Hebrews 13:2 (NLT)
Recently, someone that worked with my husband passed away. It was sudden. No one was expecting it. Her story is unusual.
She started coming to the restaurant with her mom when she was little. Her mom worked there as a waitress and Margaret would come and do her homework at one of the tables. After she graduated from high school, she started working at the restaurant. I am not sure in what role she started but eventually, she became a waitress. After many years in that role, she became a manager.
She worked at the restaurant for over 35 years. This was the only job she had ever had. Every day, greeting strangers and serving them.
After she passed, the restaurant decided to put on an event to celebrate her life. I expected a handful of people; family and friends. I got there early to help and to my surprise, the place was filling up before the event even began.
As the evening wore on, the restaurant became packed. There were between 150 and 200 people that came out to pay their respects and so many more who couldn’t make it because of other commitments. As I walked around talking to people, one theme stood out. It was her kindness and giving. Every person I talked to shared how she helped them in some way. Every person talked about how loving she was.
According to the world’s standards, her life would not be rated as a success. She worked one job, as a waitress, for her entire working career. She didn’t have a lot of money. She had no accolades to show for it. But what she didn’t have in those things, she made up for in love.
She loved well. She cared about people and made the effort to show it. Her life impacted so many people and made their world better and brighter. The love that poured from her in that restaurant changed that particular corner of the world.
Truly, what Jesus meant when he said “Love one another.”