A room-service waiter at a Marriott hotel learned that the sister of a guest had just died. The waiter, named Charles, bought a sympathy card, had hotel staff members sign it, and gave it to the distraught guest with a slice of hot apple pie.
The guest later wrote a letter to the president of the Marriott Hotels. It said, in part, "Mr. Marriott, I'll never meet you. And I don't need to meet you. That's because I met Charles. I know what you stand for...I want to assure you that as long as I live, I will stay at your hotels. And I will tell my friends to stay at your hotels."
I'm not sure where I read this story - I think it came from "Leadership" magazine. No matter. What's important is this - because of the compassion of a lowly waiter, the Marriott Hotel chain now has a customer for life!
There's a message in this story for each of us. Just as Charles the waiter was a representative of Mr. Marriott, so are believers in Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul calls us "Christ's ambassadors," (see 2 Corinthians 5:20). Every day the Lord gives us abundant opportunities to influence lives, to help a hurting soul, to offer a soothing word to a searching man of woman, boy or girl.
And when we share God's Word with someone, the Holy Spirit works faith to believe and trust God for forgiveness and eternal life. Then, another ambassador for Jesus has been placed in the "field."
Maybe a good prayer today goes something like this: "Lord, make me more like Charles, ready to show and share Your love with people today. Amen."
