Sue from McDonald's

Sue (not her real name) is a manager at my local McDonald's. She is in her early 20's and attends the local community college. She works hard, but I suspect she plays hard as well. She and I got acquainted because of my frequent and lengthy visits to McDonald's. I go and stay for an hour or more at a time, reading, studying the Bible, or working on some other project.

Eventually, Sue and I got a little bit familiar with one another. She would ask about my family when I came in and I would tease her about her latest tattoo. (She has several very colorful works of art.) We talked, but it was always chit-chat, small talk sort of conversation.

One day I heard Sue singing along with the radio that was playing on the restaurants sound system. I commented that she had a nice voice. She thanked me and told me that she loves to sing with her mother. Because I love music this was a natural point of connection for the two of us. We talked for quite sometime about singing, music styles and tastes. It was an enjoyable conversation.

I should offer one side note before I go any further. A part of my strategy in life is to meet people and tell them about Jesus. When I am in a fast food place that is always on my mind.

The logical thing for me to do then, was to invite Sue to sing at my church. She was immediately nervous, but excited. There were several excuses about why she could not, or should not.

"I don't know any religious songs."

"I'm not very comfortable around church people."

"What will everyone thing of my tattoos?"

We discussed all those things, but ultimately I prevailed. Sue came and sang at my church. The people loved her. She came again and sang. She only came to church on Sundays that she sang for us, but she came sometimes. I am fairly sure that she was attending my little church more than she had ever attended any church before, ever.

Sue still sings for me from time to time. We are still friendly at McDonald's. That is why when Sue witnessed a fatal auto accident, she called me. We met for lunch and she told me the story. She was driving home when a car passed her. Everything seemed fine until another car came over a hill from the other direction. Two people were killed, others injured. Thankfully, Sue was not hurt.

However, there were emotional scars. That is why she wanted to talk. I shared with her how Jesus knows all about the terrible things that happen to us, that we see and that we hear. I got to pray with my McDonald's friend in Pizza Hut that day. What a great day it was.

Sue still doesn't come to church, but I know that God is working on her. I am too.