[Vfw-times] Story: A Servant's Heart - Part 2

[Heartshotfoxley at aol.com]

A Servant's Heart

Part Two

By  Heartshot Foxley


The musteline ran into the tiny store room and sat on a sack of flour, 
crying.  How disappointed her friends would be to see how the sea otter was 
acting!  Surely her Saviour was!  Yes, Shelley Otter was a Christian, but 
what a poor example she was showing to her patrons.  Shelley's father spied 
his daughter sitting in the storeroom as he returned from taking some trash 
outside.

"What's going on, Shelley?"

"I don't want to talk about it now!"

"But I need you out on the floor, sweetheart!  I only have two other 
waitresses out there, and they can't handle the lunch crowd by themselves."

"I'll be out there in a minute, Daddy.  I'm just having a bad day, that's 
all.  We can talk about it later."

"Okay.  I know those customers can get pretty demanding at times, but I've 
trained you how to handle that."

"It's okay.  I'm coming out," Shelley said, wiping a tear.  The otter 
followed her father as he hobbled through the kitchen.

"You'll be fine.  Show them you're Pete's daughter!"  The otter man washed 
his paws at the sink and dried them off with a clean towel.

"Mark, is the flounder platter ready?" Shelley asked the assistant cook 
solemnly.

"Yep, just finished it," the cheetah answered cheerfully, handing her the 
food.  Grabbing a fresh pot of coffee, the musteline turned towards the 
doors.  Shelley took a deep breath and reluctantly stepped into the dining 
room.  Inwardly the otter hoped that some of the crowd would have been gone 
by the time she returned, but to her disappointment, the customers were still 
there.

Taking a deep breath, the waitress spotted the red wolf.  'Show them you're 
Pete's daughter,' the otter recalled the words of her father.  Keeping her 
tongue in check, Shelley handed the rufine his food, and filled the empty 
coffee cup of the other patron.  The otter retrieved the last remaining 
booster seat and gave it to the grateful ursine woman, whose cubs were 
beginning to misbehave.  Suddenly, the otter remembered the old pelican who 
did not have his order taken.  Turning towards the avian, Shelley spied 
Chelsey merrily taking is order.

"Whew!"  The musteline waitress said to herself.  It seemed like everything 
was following into place now, and after a while, the crowd started to thin.  
She saw her friends sitting at a small table, sharing a plate of popcorn 
shrimp.  The otter spoke to the vulpines for a few minutes respite.  Upon 
returning to work, Shelley felt someone staring at her.  Turning her head, 
Shelley met the eyes of a police officer sitting in the corner booth of the 
diner.  The police officer, a grey and white seagull, sat with a plateful of 
fishbones and was finishing his iced tea.  Curious, the sea otter walked up 
to the gull.

"Can I help you?"

"I've been watching you for quite some time, young lady.  That was quite a 
show you put on while ago."

"Yes Sir," the musteline waitress replied shamefully.  Shelley lowered her 
eyes to the floor, and saw the seagull's yellow feet underneath the table.

"Is there anything I can get you?"

"Mmmmmmm," the seagull said thoughtfully.  "You can get me another iced tea, 
and then I'd like to talk to you for a minute if you have the time."

Shelley looked at the officer again.  She noted how the octagon hat sat 
smartly on his white feathered head, and how the shiney police badge shone 
proudly on the regal grey plummage.  Turning her head for a quick glance, 
Shelley noticed that the diner was nearly empty.  Feeling a lump forming in 
the back of her throat, the otter knew that she would have to deal with this 
customer.  Chelsey Redtail was at the other end of the diner serving the 
elderly pelican, and the other waitress was nowhere to be seen.

"Okay," Shelley answered unwillingly.  "Coming right up."

After Shelley returned with the cold beverage, the otter slowly began to sit 
down in front of the seagull.

"You may stand if you wish.  I know you still have some work to do.  I won't 
keep you long."

"Certainly Sir," Shelley said, lowering her eyes once again.

"My name is Captain Webster.  I'm the police captain here in Nag's Head.  
What is your name?"

"Shelley Otter."

"Do you know what my main job is, besides enforcing the law here, Shelley?"

"A public servant?"  The otter slowly asked, her heart suddenly pierced with 
conviction of her intolerance towards her customers.

"That's right!  My job is to serve the public.  Much like your job.  But my 
job is not restricted in only one place, like yours.  My job is everywhere.  
If I see someone who needs help, I help them.  If I see an elderly lady 
getting ready to cross the street, I help her.  If I see a man stranded with 
his car on the side of the road, I help him.  If I'm called to chase down a 
bank robber, I do it.  If a child ask me to help her or him to get their 
kitty out of a tree, I help them."

Shelley stood in front of the booth with her hands clasped behind her back.  
The otter thought about her encounters today.  The gull continued in his 
lecture.

"Are you a Christian?"

Shelley nodded her head in acknowledgment.

"Do you remember what Jesus did to His disciples right after the last supper? 
 He washed their feet!  The Bible says in St. John 13:12-15...

"So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set 
down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash 
one another's feet.
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you."

Jesus, the Creator of the universe, had left his heavenly home to live the 
example of how we should do unto others.  We are to serve one another.  Did 
you know that in order to be great, we have to be a servant first?"

Shelley shook her head, totally engrossed in the words of the seagull.

"St. Matthew 24:45 says...

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over 
his household, to give them meat in due season?"

and St. Matthew 20:27 states...

"And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:"

So, even though most folks don't like the idea of being a servant, you should 
remember what our Saviour said.  Servanthood with a grateful heart is an 
example of Christ-likeness.  Show the world you are a Christian.  Remember 
the words of our Lord in Colossians 3:23-24...

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for 
ye serve the Lord Christ."

Shelley thought about the lunch rush.  Oh how she had caused grief to her 
Saviour!  Here, the Shepherd had given her an example, and had been obedient 
even to the cross, laying down His life for her!  And this naughty lamb had 
rebelled in selfishness!

"Thank you for your help," the musteline whispered as she started to turn 
away.

"Remember what Jesus said about servitude.  Jesus also said in St. Matthew 
25:40...

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch 
as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done 
it unto me."

Shelley, knowing she needed to talk with the Shepherd, turned to the police 
captain once more.

"I'm glad you came in here today, Captain Webster.  At first I was mad at you 
when you started talking about being a servant, but then after hearing what I 
needed to do makes me glad that I met you today.  Thank you."

"You're welcome, Shelley.  I'm here for you and for the rest of the citizens 
of Nag's Head.  Have a great day in the Lord!"  The musteline watched the 
avian as he rose from his booth and headed for the door.

Copyright (c) 2001 by Kimberly M. Edwards
All rights reserved



Heartshot Foxley =^.^=
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