Moments that Shape:
Oaks of Righteousness
How does your local McDonald’s look these days? Anything like the one you grew up eating at? Ours has very little resemblance. I mean the bathrooms are still in the same spot in the back on the right hand side of the store but that is about the only thing that reminds me of the restaurant I grew up eating happy meals at. I took my son to ours for a snack the other day and I had a moment that shapes.
The new McDonald’s have even less in common. What am I to do? Should I opine the days of the yellow and red hard plastic chairs? Do I dream of the time when the beverage counter was safely stashed behind the check out counter when a free refill wasn’t even a glimmer in Ronald’s eye?
I was in Panera Bread a few weeks later and I was reminded of how much interior matters. It sends a message. It tells people something about you. It can either welcome people or it can say go away. It can tell people you are a warm and friendly or that you are stale and lifeless.
What about your place of worship? What does it say? I have been thinking about this for the past few weeks as we continue to work on the interior and exterior of our facility. What message do you send people who are invited to your space? I realize that much has been made about going, and I agree, but at some point we as humans will share a space.
Maybe your space is unconventional. Okay, that is good because you are saying something in your space about who you are. I just worry that sometimes people think they can say something about themselves without their space agreeing that it is true. Would Panera Bread still be the same if the space was different? What if the walls were white and the lights were fluorescent and the cups styrofoam? Would the exact same food still seem as good? Would the place be as inviting?
If we are oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord, shouldn’t we be appealing? My wife and I stopped at a place called Life Church this morning. It is a long story but we happened to be down the street and my wife had never been inside. What does Life Church tell you when you enter their doors? Something is happening in here, kids are welcome and this is a cool place with cool things going on. I’m not saying every church should copy Life Church, far from it, jus that their space sends a clear message about what they value and who they are.
If our space says old and outdated why should we think someone would enter thinking differently? If our space says same old same old why would we believe people will think this is a fresh way of experiencing faith? I am just not sure they will. How does your website look? What does it say? In each of these places you tell people about yourself and what you value. What message do you send?
One last thought about my trip to McDonald’s. As I sat their with my son eating fries and talking life I was also reminded by my son that we can do things that make us more attractive that serve no practical purpose and may actually hinder our ultimate goal.
I was looking up at the television at the McDonald’s because it is big and loud and hard to ignore when my son asked me why they had a TV. He didn’t think it was necessary. He didn’t understand why I needed a TV to eat dinner.
I realized after he said this that the TV was actually keeping me from focusing on this special time that my son and I were sharing. The space was keeping me from building a meaningful relationship with my son. We can create an environment that is more appealing and cool and yet forget that we are trying to help foster a relationship with our Creator.
Oaks of Righteousness
How does your local McDonald’s look these days? Anything like the one you grew up eating at? Ours has very little resemblance. I mean the bathrooms are still in the same spot in the back on the right hand side of the store but that is about the only thing that reminds me of the restaurant I grew up eating happy meals at. I took my son to ours for a snack the other day and I had a moment that shapes.
The new McDonald’s have even less in common. What am I to do? Should I opine the days of the yellow and red hard plastic chairs? Do I dream of the time when the beverage counter was safely stashed behind the check out counter when a free refill wasn’t even a glimmer in Ronald’s eye?
I was in Panera Bread a few weeks later and I was reminded of how much interior matters. It sends a message. It tells people something about you. It can either welcome people or it can say go away. It can tell people you are a warm and friendly or that you are stale and lifeless.
What about your place of worship? What does it say? I have been thinking about this for the past few weeks as we continue to work on the interior and exterior of our facility. What message do you send people who are invited to your space? I realize that much has been made about going, and I agree, but at some point we as humans will share a space.
Maybe your space is unconventional. Okay, that is good because you are saying something in your space about who you are. I just worry that sometimes people think they can say something about themselves without their space agreeing that it is true. Would Panera Bread still be the same if the space was different? What if the walls were white and the lights were fluorescent and the cups styrofoam? Would the exact same food still seem as good? Would the place be as inviting?
If we are oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord, shouldn’t we be appealing? My wife and I stopped at a place called Life Church this morning. It is a long story but we happened to be down the street and my wife had never been inside. What does Life Church tell you when you enter their doors? Something is happening in here, kids are welcome and this is a cool place with cool things going on. I’m not saying every church should copy Life Church, far from it, jus that their space sends a clear message about what they value and who they are.
If our space says old and outdated why should we think someone would enter thinking differently? If our space says same old same old why would we believe people will think this is a fresh way of experiencing faith? I am just not sure they will. How does your website look? What does it say? In each of these places you tell people about yourself and what you value. What message do you send?
One last thought about my trip to McDonald’s. As I sat their with my son eating fries and talking life I was also reminded by my son that we can do things that make us more attractive that serve no practical purpose and may actually hinder our ultimate goal.
I was looking up at the television at the McDonald’s because it is big and loud and hard to ignore when my son asked me why they had a TV. He didn’t think it was necessary. He didn’t understand why I needed a TV to eat dinner.
I realized after he said this that the TV was actually keeping me from focusing on this special time that my son and I were sharing. The space was keeping me from building a meaningful relationship with my son. We can create an environment that is more appealing and cool and yet forget that we are trying to help foster a relationship with our Creator.
posted by Darin L. Hamm at
11:28 AM
3 Comments:
Great post Darin.
I have been to many McDonald's with my sons. The coolest one was in Dallas. Near Richland Hills I believe. It was very typical. Playground,and all. But they had plush couches and chairs for the parents to sit and enjoy adult conversation. Like you I noticed as I enjoyed the bistro, coffee house feel. I was ignoring what my son was doing. Letting Him do his thing and I do my things. The thing that was to bring us closer and have fun did the opposite. McDonalds have changed since we grew up. Very different.
Even our places of worship changes. Starbucks offered in the foyer and indoor playgrounds. How simular like McDonlads. It does see at times like you can distance your self between son and Father in the place where we are to connect. We allow distractions of life to hinder our space and time with God. We fit God into our schedule 2 to 3 hours a week. We long for the McDonalds houses (worship houses) of the past...But is the past are really as good as what we thought it was? or where we young and nieve? Do we want something better for our children and grandchildren? A bigger playground, comfortable atmosphere, better toys, or are we are thing we are trying to make new and improved hindering the space between the relationship that matters. Father and son. Father and daughter.
Thank you Darin for this excellent post.
How did the early Christians handle such austerity, and yet clearly show the world around them a "fresh way to experience faith?"
Paul writes the family in Colossae, "As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yurselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
I work in food service... it's where I minister while working as an assistant kitchen manager for a Chili's restaurant. I've wrestled with these metaphors. We have a saying among food service professionals (at least, those who care...), that "people eat with their eyes." Think about the last few times you've been to a restaurant. Doesn't the fod taste better when it is presented attractively? It doesn't need to be flashy, but it must not be sloppy or gross. So I agree, what we surround ourselves with speaks volumes to the people around us, for good or ill.
But so many restaurants have taken a left turn down the road of too much flash and nowhere NEAR enough substance. I find a true and moving beauty to simplicity, harmony, and substance. Are we loving people freshly, or are we just trying to look fresh? Questions like those must take precedence as we try and grow into the oaks of righteousness that will be always in season.
in HIS love,
Nick
Thanks for the comments.
Great addition to the discussion.
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