Piety in the Parking Lot

I was really important for about two minutes the other day and then, once again I was smacked in the face with the truth about myself. Our township supervisor was opening up a package that had three shiny new green parking signs, and one of them was mine. I finally had my own reserved parking spot! Enough of those folks who were using the bike path parking in all of the good spots! No more election-day dilemmas of early voters making us walk a distance! We were entitled to the three best parking spots in the lot.

And then it hit me. I don’t feel that same sense of entitlement at my afternoon/Sunday morning job at the church. The only reserved spots at the church (other than handicapped) are for “first time visitors.” In fact staff people are encouraged to park far away from the door, especially on Sunday morning and I’ve never questioned it. In the true spirit of “piety” and “servanthood,” I’ve always parked across the street in the grass.

So I had a dilemma. Why was I willing to be a servant at church, but nowhere else? Now what should I do? I decided that I probably was an okay little servant because, after all I had identified the problem quickly and besides, I wasn’t the only one with a reserved spot—there were three of us. We had made the decision as a group. I was able to live with that . . . until . . . someone . . . stole . . . my . . . spot.

I had to go to the eye doctor one morning so I left the office and came back. The parking lot had 3 cars in it; the supervisor’s, the clerk’s, and wait a minute . . . someone was in my spot! And they were just there sitting in their truck . . . ignoring my looks of indignation! The gentleman (and it pains me to call him that) had dropped his wife off to pay their taxes, and she was in the office! And I had to process her check . . . and try to be nice! After they left, I found out that they had done it intentionally complaining that we had taken the best spots, leaving them to walk further. And you know what? They’re right! Servant behavior goes beyond how I behave at church, or how I behave in spiritual matters. It’s a life-style and I haven’t caught on yet.

So, now what do I do? I’m not sure. I could take that sign and move it to a parking spot far far away, but that’s kind of silly. I could add another sign to the “Reserved for Township Treasurer” that says “or anyone else who needs it.” I think for now I’ll leave it as it is, and I’ll let it serve as a daily reminder of my short-comings, lest I get too arrogant.

But for now . . . I guess I’ll put the idea of that reserved bathroom stall on hold. Sometimes those tennis players think they own the place . . . oh yeah I have a long way to go.