Judged on What Grounds?

Most everybody knows that in the restaurant world there are people known as "secret shoppers". Whether it be a magazine, or in our case, an outside agency, every waiter lives in the fear, or more precisely the distant memory of the existence of the secret shopper.

I have been "shopped" three times now in my time as a waiter. It is just the same as anything, you can start to see these "secret" people coming from a mile away. It may sound cynical, but the best way to identify said shopper is that they are deeply intent on hearing my opinion and knowledge of our menu.

If these people were not shoppers, then I have lost my touch. I feel as if that is unlikely.

The woman asked about our fried potatoes not two seconds after I had described the same dish in detail. The man informed me that his wife needs a tequila with "more agave" in it for her margarita. To remind you, agave is the ingredient that essentially makes tequila tequila and not some other substance. She wanted to know precise weights of not only steaks but also potatoes on our menu. Please. Let us just remove the term "secret" from these shoppers.

Anyhow, after a couple of trys getting her margarita "less-tart" (read: hide the alcohol/agave/tequila with sugar), we were off and running.

I do have to admit at the end of the day that I take my job personally, as well as the restaurant where I work. Unfounded criticism does not sit well with me not only because this place has paid my bills for over three years, but more because my friends are the ones preparing the food. I do not mind somebody complaining if their food is prepared incorrectly, but to continually whine about every course gets really, really old. This is not so much typical of the secret shoppers as of the human race.

What finally annoyed me to the point of honesty was when she complained about our banana cream pie (my favorite dessert, which I had made myself before bringing it out to them). It was Saturday night and it took a few extra minutes to bring out the dessert, which would account for why I personally made it. Here was the scene:

She: Oh, I am glad you brought that dessert, I was about to cancel our order, I do not know what took so long to get it.

Me: Ma'am, It is Saturday.

That did it. There was very little conversation that followed and that was alright with me. The constant nagging and judgement she practiced, oddly enough, did not lead to a pleasant end. It ended with me having to bring her ship back into the port of reality. This restaurant is not "on demand". You must wait for a person to prepare it and another person to take time and bring it out for you. Because she did not consider others, her judgement was unfounded.

I do think about what I am going to be judged on in the end. God has plenty of grounds to condemn me as a foolish but wholehearted rebel against him. In Christ, though, there is absolutely no charge that can stand against me. My rebellion, whining, disrespect, self-centeredness and so much more is paid in the blood of Jesus.

If you have no charge against you, on what grounds are you judging others?