Jason Silver

Thursday, June 7th, 2018

Position Matters

A number of years ago, Joanne and I went out for dinner. I don't recall if we went out to celebrate some special occasion, but what really sticks out in my memory is the way the waiter interacted with us that night.

When he walked up to our table, the first thing he did was crouch down on his haunches so that he was just a little lower than we were; looking up at us a bit. It was unusual enough that we both remarked about it afterwards.

Why would he do that?

Perhaps he wanted us to feel as comfortable as possible. He probably just wanted a good tip, and had learned this technique to break down any potential barriers between himself and the diners. It's the first time I recall noticing that positional effect! He wasn't looking down on us, but up at us, and it made us feel like he was there to serve our needs.

Whether you're kneeling before a king, enthroned upon his dais, or looking up to a judge presiding on his bench, or even waiting for a pharmacist, who stands elevated at his counter, being at a different level implies a different status. It becomes clear who is serving whom.

In Psalm 123, the writer observes this difference in status as he sings to God. "To You I lift up my eyes," he writes, "as the eyes of a servant look to the hand of the master, for mercy."

As our waiter figured out, position matters. We humble ourselves before our King and our Judge, asking for mercy. But we have a God who in his mercy, has crouched down to our earthly level, to break down the barriers between us!

Lord, thank you for serving us! May we, in turn, serve one another!

Amen