The Pepsi Lady

One of my best friends, Leslie, is known at a local yogurt drive-through as “The Pepsi Lady.”

Years ago, Leslie took advantage of the store’s offer that if customers bought one of their large tumblers, they could bring that cup in for a very cheap refill for a limited time. To a fountain Pepsi lover like Leslie, this was a sweet deal! So every day, Leslie pulled up to the window to get her giant refill.

Because of her huge smile and sociability, Leslie became a popular customer who was greeted with not one but several employee “hello's” whenever she appeared. To say that Leslie found favor at this place is an understatement. In fact, when the time limit ran out on the refill offer, Leslie was given special dispensation and was able to continue her daily fountain Pepsi quests at the discounted rate!

Soon, Leslie became known as “The Pepsi Lady” at the yogurt shop, and relationships with the college students who were employed there started to develop.

On a regular basis, Leslie would ask the employees how they were doing at school, and they would fill her in on the latest challenge or triumph. She would celebrate with them or offer to pray for them.

The thing about Leslie is, after the students would share anecdotes or details about their lives, she would remember to ask about those specific situations the next time she saw those students. Her sincere interest demonstrated to them that they were more than just fast-food serving robots to her.

Sometimes, when there were no customers behind her leaving more time to visit, employees shared in greater depth about their lives, and at least one specifically asked Leslie to pray for her, which Leslie felt privileged to do.

Therefore, Leslie has been able to encourage these college kids, speak life into their days, console them, rejoice with them, pray with them, counsel them and make a huge check mark on the positive side of their mental “positive/negative checklist” that so many seekers tally as they interact with Christians.

When I think of The Pepsi Lady, I think,

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' ” (Matthew 25:21 NIV).

Points to ponder:

1. Is there any regular habit or moment of interaction with others in your life in which you could minister to others in a simple Pepsi-Lady way?
2. When in public, do you care about the people behind the counter or register, or just see them as worker who are there to serve you?
3. When a nonbeliever interacts with you, do you create a positive, negative or neutral check mark on the “Would I want to be one of those Christians?” mental checklist?