A new reality-based
television program takes executive
officers of companies and places them in lower
level positions within their
own companies. The role swapping gives the
executive a look at what their
employees go through each day, and has even
helped the executives implement
effective changes in their companies.
John Selvaggio, President of
Song Air Service, the
low cost carrier of Delta Airlines was assigned
the duties of loading food
onto airplanes and later, emptying the plane's
sewage tanks. Selvaggio
discovered ways to reduce the turn-around time
for planes by 40 minutes
during his time working on the tarmac.
Third generation hotelier,
and chief executive officer
of Loews Hotels, Jonathan Tisch spent a week
pushing housekeeping supplies
and luggage carts at his company's Miami Beach
hotel. He had never cleaned
a bathroom before, but ended up scrubbing the
floor under the watchful
eye of his "supervisor."
Afterwards, Tisch decided to
make changes in the staff
uniforms. He said, "These just get way too hot.
We need to change the fabric."
He added, "We also need to upgrade the uniforms
to make them look hip and
trendy." Tisch 's experience also lead him to
make some technological changes
to reduce the time it takes to check in guests
at the hotel.
Housekeeping supervisor Sara
Roiz was charged with
training CEO Jonathan Tisch in tasks from making
beds to cleaning bathrooms.
When asked if she would hire him as a hotel
employee, she answered, "We'd
have to see if he can make it through the
three-week training period. Frankly,
I don’t think he can make it."
—http://news.yahoo.com,
Bosses in Staffer Shoes Get
a Reality Check, March, 5, 2004. Illustration by
Jim L. Wilson and Jim
Sandell.
John 13:14-16 NIV "Now, that
I your Lord and Teacher,
have washed your feet, you should also wash one
another's feet. I have
set you an example that you should do as I have
done for you. I tell you
the truth, no servant is greater that his
master, nor is a messenger greater
than the one who sent him."
SERVANTHOOD
A Teen Missions International
team recently learned
there was more to caring for the needy than just
collecting and distributing
shoes and socks. The group of teens traveled to
Zambia with nothing more
than backpack for their personal belongings and
a duffle bag full of shoes
and socks to distribute to AIDS orphans in the
region. When they arrived,
they used puppets to share the gospel and helped
the children learn to
read. Most of the African Children had never
owned a pair of shoes in their
life. This presented the mission team with a
unique opportunity.
Before they could be fitted
with shoes, the orphan's
feet had to be treated because many had sores
and worm infestations. The
Teen Missions group displayed genuine
servanthood by washing the feet of
the children and then putting socks and shoes on
for them. President of
Teen Mission International, Bob Bland says the
Foot Washing Ministry was
a first. The team distributed 6,000 pairs of
socks and 2,400 pairs of shoes
in Jesus' name. He said, "We had hundreds of
young people that accepted
Christ as their personal Savior." Teen Missions
is planning similar outreaches
next year, and has already begun to collect
shoes.
—www.mnnonline (Mission
Network News), Foot washing
teams share the Gospel in Zambia, October 10,
2005. Illustration by Jim
L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.
John 13:14-15 (AMP) "If I
then, your Lord and Teacher
(Master), have washed your feet, you ought [it
is your duty, you are under
obligation, you owe it] to wash one another's
feet. [15] For I have given
you this as an example, so that you should do
[in your turn] what I have
done to you."
SERVANTHOOD
Mallory Holtman learned to be
a servant, even when
it hurt. Playing in a college softball game, her
Central Washington Wildcats
were one game away from elimination in the race
for the NCAA playoffs.
With the score tied 0-0 and runners on first and
second, the batter, Sara
Tucholsky sent the ball sailing over the left
field fence for a homerun.
When Tucholsky passed first
base, the coach yelled
for her to return because she didn’t touch it.
As she came to a sudden
stop and turned, Sara tore her ACL. She dropped
to the ground and crawled
back to touch the base. There she sat; unable to
continue. The coach says
the umpire told her if she was unable to
continue, or if she was helped
by a teammate, she would only be credited with a
single and they would
have to put in a pinch runner.
When Mallory, who was playing
first base, heard this
and looked at Sara writhing in pain at first
base, she dropped her glove
and motioned to the second baseman to help her.
Together they picked Sara
up and carried her around the bases, stopping
long enough for her to touch
second and third.
Mallory has become a folk
hero for her gracious and
unselfish act in helping an opponent. Her
display of sportsmanship has
drawn comments and praise from around the
country.
-- Sports Illustrated, June
29, 2009 p. 57-63 Illustration
by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell
Philippians 2:4-5 (KJV) “Look
not every man on his
own things, but every man also on the things of
others. 5 Let this mind
be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus:”
SERVICE
When
Nate
Roman and his son returned to their home in
Marlborough, Massachusetts, they
discovered the back door was open and that
someone had broken in and deep
cleaned the whole house. Roman said he could
smell the cleaning chemicals and
every room except the kitchen had been
thoroughly cleaned.Roman
said he found toilet paper folded into
neat origami roses and he suspects a
professional cleaning service accidentally
cleaned the wrong house.He
said nothing
was missing, but he reported the incident to
police. Authorities said are taking
the investigation seriously, but have no leads
or suspects. Romans said it was
terrifying to realize someone had been in his
house, but added, “If I was going
to judge the quality of a toilet paper rose, I
would call this high
quality.”—Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell
Galatians 5:13 (CSB) For you
were called to be free,
brothers and sisters; only don’t use this
freedom as an opportunity for the
flesh, but serve one another through love.
SERVANTHOOD
Every servant knows what it
is like to serve others with all
that you’ve got only to be stabbed in the back.
Whether it comes as an email,
an open criticism, or a desertion, it is
painful.
Gabe
Castellanos was celebrating his 38th birthday
next to New York City’s East
River when he spotted a dog struggling in the
water some 250 feet from shore.
Castellanos stripped down to his underwear,
put on a life vest, and swam out to
the dog. But as he reached for the scared dog,
it bit him on the jaw, cracking
his two front teeth. But Gabe persevered and
wrapped his arm around her and
brought her safely back to land. –Jim L.
Wilson and Rodger Russell.
The Week, May 24, 2019p. 6
This is about what it feels
like when our efforts to serve
go unrewarded. But Castellanos
didn’t begrudge the
dog, who he later learned was named Harper,for nipping him. He Joked, “I needed
teeth work anyway.” May our
attitude be as gracious.
Galatians 6:9 (CSB)Let
us not get tired of doing
good, for we will reap at the proper time if we
don’t give up.
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