Will you burn that bacon?

In the middle of Arkansas, we stopped by the Ozark Cafe in Jasper. Extremely popular restaurant that began in the early 1900’s and has been featured on a few shows as a must-visit eatery when you are in the area. The Ozark Cafe has earned their outstanding equity in the market. 

My wife and I stopped in for breakfast, and an older couple sat near us. After their order, the man said politely and boldly, “will you burn that bacon.”

A strange, funny question maybe, although, I do love burned bacon. Burned bacon was definitely not the everyday request. A packed restaurant, meals being cooked and delivered right and left with the servers reaching that overwhelmed point. And, this man wants his bacon burned?!?

“Sir, can’t you see that we are a bit too busy to isolate your bacon and burn it?”

That would have been a logical response from the server, but it wasn’t.

The response with an energetic smile, “of course we can.”

And, before you know it, the man had been delivered burnt bacon, just the way he wanted it. In fact, I was jealous that I hadn’t ordered the same way.

A simple exchange. I am the only one in the restaurant that noticed. The server’s manager certainly wasn’t there to hear the order. The owner of the restaurant was definitely not present. But, the server did what they do at the Ozark Cafe. She delivered with excellence. It is just built in to the place.

That server was a steward of the hard earned equity that had been developed since the early 1900’s. She stood on the shoulders of others. That server protected the reputation of the restaurant. That server ultimately cared.

Every one of us is called to be steward of much in this world. Whether it is our marriage, our family, our job, our role as a student or as a member of a team, we are each protectors of equity. In the case of a family or a job or a team, we are protecting the equity that others built over many years. 

How do you easily protect the equity? Serve others with excellence.

Equity is slowly built by daily actions, daily decisions, daily steps.

Today, in your life, someone will order their bacon burned. It might just be a simple ask of a favor. Or, it might a request that may not be so easy to fill.  It might be something that makes you take a detour from your normal plans today. Or, maybe the request will cost you something.

Whatever the case, build on the equity, the hard-earned reputation. More than likely, you are standing on the shoulders of what others have built, like your last name.

Burn the bacon today.

Impact others. Live generously.