That would be one of the worst titles for a monster movie, wouldn't it? The only titles that would be worse for a monster movie might include the names of the seven dwarves or Gary Busey but I digress. Secret shoppers really are not that big of a deal but they do tend to make me think about our post-fall world.
My friend Juan was the guy to get shopped this time and he did fairly well on the overall score.
If you are unfamiliar with the secret shop (which was alluded to in an earlier post), there is a checklist of things that our company expects us to be accomplishing with each table. The expectations range from arriving at the table within 60 seconds to saying a guest's name at least twice. I suppose there is a good place for this type of thing, even if I cannot place my finger on it.
Well, Juan is a good waiter, in addition to being a good husband, father etc. An unrelated fact to this story is that he is actually a lawyer in Mexico as well as here in the states. All this to say that he normally does a good job and this time was no exception but I digress yet again.
The thing that made me think about the fallen nature of the human race was the space marked for additional points in this silly system with the question: "Did the server do anything memorable or exceptional". This bonus question was answered with a "no".
On the other hand, the reviewer remarked at how Juan's service was "impeccable". Also, they took the time to write, "This was the best service we have ever received".
Are these not remarks that could be described as "memorable" or "exceptional"? What more could you want from any man than for him to do his job well? Are we really at a place where we expect more out of people than for them to be do what we ask of them? And what is this secret thing that I am looking for when I go to a restaurant that a man cannot meet by providing me with "impeccable" service?
Well, the most obvious problem with this silly system is that it is a silly subjective system but of course, I think there is something a bit deeper. I know that I constantly place my own secret, unrealistic expectations on people around me. I read into peoples' words and actions what I would have meant instead of what those around me are really indicating. This does not work.
We are on a level plane as sons of Adam. We hurt. We feel anger. We feel betrayed. We let others down. Any of these feelings could deceive us into thinking that we are somehow different than those around us. We fail to see that we are all sinking in the same boat. We all need the same rescuer.
It is good that God was willing to come all the way out to where we are and give himself for us. He no longer holds expectations for us because anything God would require from us would be an unrealistic one. Instead, he sends himself. He sends Jesus to fulfill each expectation he ever had from us.
That is grace.
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Hey man. For me those kind of surveys are more than just ridiculous. There is something about them that makes me sad. They are alomst a satire in and of themselves of how - although of course everyone realizes we do live in a fallen world - we pretend we don't...which links to your point about how we expect from others what we don't expect from ourselves. Good post. I'm missing the 'After Work Stories of Casey' at the moment. You forgiven yet me for my comment that I think I wouldn't have liked Bonhoeffer if I'd had him as a teacher?! haha
ReplyDeletehahhaa. Even though that borders on the unforgiveable sin, I'm working on it because he would want me to forgive you.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm with you. These surveys place priority, it seems sometimes, on completing meaningless tasks over being a person. That may be the Californian in me though...good seeing you today bro.
C