— by Peter Demos

We know that our actions and words reflect on those around us. If someone comes to work in a foul mood, the entire atmosphere can feel heavy; soon the whole restaurant is on edge. But the same is true when someone comes in with a skip in their step and a smile on their face. Their lighthearted energy starts to make others feel happier as well. We can change the atmosphere. 

I am not a rah-rah type of person. I wasn’t before I was saved, and I still am not. So, I don’t mean that when you report to work, you should plaster a fake toothy grin on your face and tell everyone, “good job,” whether you mean it or not. The little things we do are noticed by others, and the impact is exponential. 

We don’t always realize how patterns of behavior, negative or positive, over time will influence not just the atmosphere but the culture of a place. Our restaurant culture, which had been predominantly secular for 23 years, went through a change. 

A little while ago we were shooting a video of employees at Demos’ restaurants for our website. We asked them to tell us why they chose to work for us. We were totally open to whatever they might want to say. All of the interviews were great; I loved listening to them. However, sadly my favorite one isn’t useable. Something went wrong with the mic, and the sound didn’t come through clearly. 

Anthony has worked at Demos’ restaurants for half his lifetime. His interview touched my heart so much it made me want to cry. Back when he started, Anthony was a 15-year-old kid with a baby face and closely-cropped curly hair, short on height but big on personality. He was hired along with his cousin who shortly afterward walked out of his job. His cousin ended up in jail, while Anthony stayed on with us. Being young and a little immature at times, Anthony kept getting himself into trouble, doing things that would earn him a demotion. 

But he didn’t quit. With time and effort, he rose back up, progressing through the ranks. Eventually, he became the kitchen manager of one of our restaurants. Again, his immaturity took hold, and he quit in a way that showed he meant it. He was burning his bridges. 

But some bridges can be rebuilt. After a time, we hired Anthony back. His hard work, training skills, and common sense earned him the role of kitchen manager at our highest volume restaurant. Through the years, I have worked with Anthony, counseled him on personal problems (whether he wanted to hear it or not), and have yelled at and chastised him for a variety of reasons. Anthony probably knows me as a boss better than 95% of the people that worked for us. 

Today, Anthony has grown into an amazing man; he still has a baby face and short curly hair, he never made it much passed five-foot-seven, and his personality is as large as it has ever been. But he is also one of the top managers in our company. 

What you won’t have a chance to see from his interview was his testimony of what changed in our restaurants in recent years. He didn’t have to talk about it, but when he did, I was completely caught off guard by what I heard. He shared about when he first heard me speaking of bringing Christian values into the business. 

“At the time,” he said, “I didn’t believe it would last.” He thought it was a phase, and frankly, he just did not believe me. 

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I have always considered myself a direct person; when I said something, it was probably going to happen. Here was a long-tenured employee saying that he thought it was going to be a phase! Really? 

Fortunately, he continued by saying that over time he started to see the positive effect it was having on the business and was intrigued. The more he saw the change in me, the more he wanted to know what had happened and how he could be a part of this change. I never went to him and beat him over the head with a Bible, telling him how to live his life. I just started using real words, showing love for others by not cussing them out, and most importantly, explaining to people that my change was due to my relationship with Jesus Christ. 

He attended one of our Bible studies, and then he kept coming. He started bringing his kids with him to church. After about a year of Bible study, he gave his life to the Lord and was baptized. He talks with people about Jesus, and he is invested in learning about God’s Word. His life has become a positive influence on those around him. I have to laugh when I look back at where we both were at one time. 

A critical component of Anthony’s story is this: Having Jesus change me is one thing but making certain that those around me knew the change was because of Him was vital. The manager, who remarked that I no longer use cuss words, used to tease me saying that I was going to be a pastor, but he still recognized the positive impact Jesus had on my life by helping me control my tongue. 

What had been a personal conviction turned into a public witness of God’s transforming work. 

This article is excerpted from Afraid to Trust: One Man’s Journey Into the Love of God by Peter Demos. For more information, visit afraidtotrust.com. 

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[ Photo by Marcos Luiz Photograph on Unsplash ]