I was talking with my father earlier this week to get some of the details on the story I am about to share. Unfortunately, he didn’t remember telling me the story but it is one that had a profound impact on me as a child. It’s pretty funny but it also has a deeper meaning and it’s one of those things that caused me to want to make a decision. “Window Cleaner or Pointer?”

Back in the days of the depression, my grandfather, Albert Halford worked at a gas station. Back then they were known commonly as ‘filling stations’, and even more so as ‘service stations’. I like that name. It applies too and the word ‘service’ was not taken lightly. When a person drove up next to the pump they ran over a small black tube across the driveway that triggered a bell. This bell alerted the service station attendant that service was needed. That is what the customer got too: Service. On this particular occasion, the window was rolled down, a request was made -probably for something like ‘Fifty-cents worth of Regular, please’, and my grandfather reacted as a service station attendant should. He smiled, removed the cap from the fuel tank, reached for the fuel hose and began putting the ‘Regular’ into the tank.

While the pump was doing its job, my grandfather went to the front of the car, opened the hood, checked the oil, checked the anti-freeze, oiled the hinges on the hood, checked the brake fluid reservoir, the belts, the hoses and clamps and only after being assured all was okay, he closed the hood gently and proceeded to wash the windows. This is where it gets humorous.

After wiping the windows and finishing with the windshield, Granddad started to put the rag in his back pocket, (this is where all true service station attendants kept them), the gentleman inside the car knocked on the windshield and… pointed. My grandfather pulled the rag back out, smiled, meticulously folded the rag to where a clean area showed and rubbed vigorously at the place where the man’s finger remained. Feeling satisfied, he began to put the rag back into his pocket.

Just then the unthinkable happened. The man’s finger moved to another location on the glass. Out came the rag… a little less smile this time… and more fervent wiping.

This happened again.

Then again.

The way I heard the story, the exercise was repeated about TEN TIMES.

Finally, my grandfather walked to the side of the car, while the driver still had his finger on the inside of the windshield. He knocked on the side window. Puzzled, the driver rolled down the window to hear my grandfather say,

“How about I get inside and point, and YOU wipe for awhile?”

The older I get, the more I find most people in one of those two categories. “Windshield cleaners”: a person providing a service, often going beyond expectation -or– “Pointers”: A person who is always insisting the person doing service improve their result or method. Pointers rarely if ever get on the other side of the glass. They are content with finding another’s work less than perfect. Somehow, most pointers feel as though they have accomplished something when after completely devaluing the person in service, the window is clean, but only until the next bug.

Picture Jesus washing His disciple’s feet. The creator of the Universe in the lowliest position imaginable. Then saying, “I’m giving you an example of what you should do for each other, as I have done for you”.

I am willing to assert that the first step toward becoming more productive, is to be willing to be the ‘service attendant’. Do more than is expected. Do it thoroughly, solely for the benefit of the One ‘inside’. AND, If you find yourself in a position where another is serving you, do a little less pointing and a little more thanking.

Please share your thoughts and stories with me and I will have more food for thought about this time next week!