Remember Who You Are

When times are tough, it is hard to remember the blessings we already have in our lives. No matter what your religious belief, holding onto those promises is not always easy to do. As a Christian, I have to remind myself who I am in Christ. This is important because even as a Christian, I am not exempt from pain or struggle and therefore, remembering who I am has helped me make it through some tough times.

During the summer of 1996, I worked at a fine dining restaurant that was located just off a beautiful beach in Florida. It was a great place to work because the clientele had a lot of money and that translated into big tips. I like a lot of other college students worked on the resort during the summer. Just a couple of months at the restaurant allowed me to make enough money to make it through a year of college.

At the start of each day, the bussers stood at the front of the waiter station standing tall with our hands professionally folded behind our backs. The ritual was to greet every customer as they walked in as we waited to see if they would be placed in our section. Most of the time, we found the patrons to be well dressed and put together. The stereotype of the older debonair man with the young beautiful lady was the norm. But one day, a couple came in that was quite the opposite. The gentleman was a long slender plainly dressed old man and his wife who was a very unassuming, short, heavy-set woman. She was so large that it took her some time to get down the three steps that led to the dining room floor. As the couple walked down the steps, I could see the smirks on the other bussers’ face. They began whispering under their breath as the couple walked passed our station. The hostess ended up sitting them at one of my tables. As the lady sat down, it was evident that she was having trouble fitting into the chair. The whole time the other bussers were making unprofessional comments.

I could still hear the rude comments of the other bussers as I proceeded towards the table. I greeted the couple by stating my name and welcoming them to the restaurant. As I began to pour water into their glasses, the lady looked at my nametag and said my first and last name, “Rodney Mills”. I looked up and smiled. Once again, she said my first and last name “Rodney Mills”. As I looked at her again, she said nothing but just stared at me. I quickly glanced at her husband and he had a smile on his face as if he was in on her scheme. Once again she said my first and last name and then asked, “Are you famous?” With a confused look on my face, I said, “No.” She then said my first and last name again and asked, “Are you rich?” At this point, I figured the lady was crazy and said, “No”. She then said my first and last name one more time and asked, “Are you part of royalty?” By now, I was done with the game and said that I would be back with their bread.

As I began to walk away, she said, “Aren’t you a Christian?” I turned back around and said, “Yes.” She then said, “Do you know as a Christian, your name is written in the Book of Life and therefore your name is known in Heaven? That makes you famous. She then said, “Do you know as a Christian, your riches are stored in Heaven and therefore you are rich beyond measure?” She then went onto say, “Do you know that because you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are now part of royalty and you should always conduct yourself accordingly?”

I was blown away by her comments because I never met this woman before and I did nothing to indicate I was a Christian. The truth was that I just recently accepted Jesus into my life just a few months earlier so this whole Christian experience was still new to me. Her insight was a huge encouragement and it still helps me remember who I am today.

When I feel that I don’t matter or that I am not making a difference in this world, I remember that my name is known in Heaven and that God cares about me and thinks of me often. When money is tight and I wish I could have the things others have, I remember that my riches are being stored in Heaven. When I feel that I am not living up to my Christian beliefs and when things have seemed bleak in my life, I remember that I am part of a royal family and that my relationship to the “King of Kings” and “Lord of Lords” makes me someone of value and that I should never be little myself or think less of who I am as a person.

I also learned that we should never judge a person by their appearance. At the outset, my co-workers laughed and ridiculed the woman. The ironic thing is that what they made fun of turned out to be one of the best blessings I have ever received. I still look back at that time and what she said to me and remember who I am in Christ Jesus.

Are you a Christian? If not, I hope you ask Jesus into your life. It is not a guarantee you will live a life free from pain or struggle. But it is a promise that if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you will spend eternity in Heaven. Your name will also be known in Heaven, you will have riches beyond measure, and you will be part of a royal family. Now that sounds pretty good to me.