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Proverbs 29:20 – Fast Lessons from Fast Food
Went through the drive-thru recently of a popular fast-food chain, and learned some eternal lessons. Being in a hurry, I wanted us to speedily order our food and get on our way. After ordering, they repeated our order and asked, “Is that correct?” I didn’t hear everything and said, “I don’t really care;” I was in a hurry to catch a plane. They said, “Please read the screen and tell us if the order is correct.” I told them, “It looks fine, and if it isn’t that is OK.” Seriously, I didn’t care this time, time was more important than food.
When they gave us our food, we drove off. Guess what! They got the order wrong. Surprised?
Lesson Number One
That common saying, “You get what you pay for,” was obviously coined before the invention of fast food restaurants! The reality is that often you do not. I paid for what I didn’t get. Having once worked in a fast food restaurant, I get frustrated at such fast food incompetence. In fact, I remember when “fast food” was actually served fast, the restaurant was clean, and the orders were correct. Nowadays, we pay more; get slower service, dirty bathrooms and messed-up orders. I’m usually frustrated on another level too. I DIDN’T GET WHAT I WANTED!!!! O.K., I’ll quit shouting. I’m calm again. Deep breath.
Having finished my rant, I will get to my first point – I didn’t get what I paid for.
Lesson Number Two
“For here or to go?” is commonly asked when ordering inside. Of course, if you really want to confuse the worker, when you go through the drive through, tell them you want the order “For here.” Hmmm, actually that might work to your advantage. Why? Have you ever noticed the percentage of messed-up orders in the drive-thru is way worse than when eating “here?” Why? Working the drive-thru is a lot more stressful, than working the counter.
What’s my second point? Haste makes waste so they say, and stress makes mistakes.
Lesson Number Three
Even though fast food restaurants quickly take my order, and quickly take my money, and (sorta) quickly give me my wrong order, they quickly give me the right change! Why may I ask?
That brings me to my third point. What do you think is more important to the fast food restaurant? That they get all their money or that I get all my food? What we emphasize in life is usually more important to us.
Lesson Number Four
Something went wrong between ordering and filling the order. They heard what I said. They repeated what I said. They just didn’t do what I said. My fourth point is that saying is not doing.
Lesson Number Five
They worked hard to get our order right. They checked and double checked, bless their little hearts. They wanted to get the order right, but didn’t. I drove away in amazement. My fifth point is that I actually could not get mad at them because I saw how hard they tried. Trying counts for something – fifth lesson.
Three lessons, all lead to these spiritual applications:
Application Number One
First, does God get what He paid for from me? The obvious answer is no. What Jesus Christ paid is worth far more than what God gets in return. But at least if I make it to heaven, Christ’s purchase price will not have been for nothing.
1 Peter 1:17-19 NASB If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; (18) knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, (19) but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
Application Number Two
Second, how many mistakes do I make for God because I am hasty? How often do I sin because of stress?
Proverbs 29:20 NASB Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Application Number Three
Just think how often I would make fewer mistakes if I truly made spiritual growth more of a priority.
Matthew 6:33 NASB “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Application Number Four
Just as saying is not doing, hearing is not doing:
James 1:22-25 NASB But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; (24) for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. (25) But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
Application Number Five
Make no mistake; we are not saved by works. No matter how hard we try, we can’t get it right – just like at the fast food restaurant. In fact, I don’t see any biblical backing that would allow me to tell you, “Just try, that’s all that God cares about.” And yet, can we discount trying hard? Can we honestly say that God does not care if we try?
1 Corinthians 15:58 NASB (58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
The next time you drive through a fast food drive-thru, think of these fast lessons.
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