THE TALE OF
TWO MOTELS
If you're a regular Graceland visitor, you may have noticed that things have been a bit quiet at the ol' homestead lately. This can only mean one thing the MacDonalds were on a bit of R n' R. We had a few weeks in Toronto and then went to visit in Nova Scotia with our friends, the Bowyers.
As was the case last year, you will be fed a steady diet of holiday observances and disturbances until the thought bag is empty and I have to start looking for something new to say! This is my way of keeping the holiday spirit alive as long as possible, so please indulge me.
The first observation I would like to recount to you comes from the first two days of our holidays. We left on our vacation late on the afternoon of July 19th, so we were only able to drive a few hours before it was time to stop and relax. We made it nicely into Maine and stopped at a well-known budget chain of motels.
Now, I have to admit that Sheila and I look for value when we select our travelling accommodations. When I say value, I mean cheap. We are cheap, cheap, cheap and we look for cheap, cheap, cheap accommodations! In Christian circles, being cheap is upgraded to the honour of "good stewardship"; boy, are we GOOD STEWARDS! But, in this case our stewardship wasn't worth it. Oh, the room was clean and it had beds and a bathroom, but . . .
The first indication that this particular establishment had room for improvement was the service we received at the desk. The women behind the counter wasn't rude, or ignorant, but neither was she overly interested in making us feel welcome. It was clear that she was a hired employee with no vested interest in promoting the image of this particular establishment. Or, perhaps she was promoting the establishment's image and we just didn't know it, yet!
The next clue came when we looked at the door of our room. It was heavily armoured and contained a vast array of locks. As soon as I saw the door, I had to ponder its significance was it to keep us in, or others out? I never came to a firm answer on that one. Perhaps because pondering it was a little unnerving! The biggest problem occurred when we realized that the air conditioner was nothing more than a noisy, ineffective fan that blew the ninety-plus air around at a force that wasn't sufficient to move a medium-sized feather. Needless to say, we just didn't get a homey feel from this particular motel and we won't be back.
The next night was an entirely different story. We stopped in Upper New York state just outside of Malone, at a place called the Dreamland Motel. It was an independent, owner-operated motel that was only a few dollars more than our previous nights accommodations. What a difference! The room was beautiful, big, and as homey as it could be! Outside was a pool to which the boys immediately became closely attached. But, most of all, the helpful friendliness of these people was like a tonic to our road weary souls. What a contrast from the night before!
The question is: Why the contrast when the cost was only minimally different? The answer is simple. In one case, the motel was a chain run by a less than enthusiastic employee. In the second case, the motel was run by the owner. It was their reputation, their hard work, their baby and they weren't about to let anyone leave that place without first making them feel as comfortable as possible. Ten minutes after we arrived there, we were talking about staying there on the return trek back to New Brunswick. No doubt about it, the personal touch makes all the difference in the world!
As I think of the tale of two motels, I immediately turn to Jesus'words in John chapter 10:
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep."
There is a big difference between being a hired hand and the owner of the sheep. An employee, no matter how dedicated, will not go to the level of sacrifice that the owner will. Why? Because they don't have the same level of vested interested, plain and simple. Jesus held nothing back from us. He sacrificed His comfort, His position, His very life for us, His sheep. No doubt about it. He is the owner-operator of the Kingdom Hotel! Furthermore, He's gone to prepare a room for you! (John 14:2) This is a room supplied with the most costly, most desired furnishings of all — forgiveness, mercy, love, relationship, fellowship, acceptance, purpose and hope! The cost? Nothing. It's free to all those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour! The question I leave with you is have you checked in yet? Is your room reserved?
If you don't know the answer to that question, or if you would like to know more about Jesus, please email me. I'd love to answer any sincere question big or small.
