Be A Regular.

Growing up, I always had this idea that in whichever city I ended up, the barista behind the bar of my favorite coffee shop would always know my order. Maybe it's the fact that the main characters on my favorite TV shows and movies never had to repeat their orders; they were just ingrained on the mind of the person making the coffee because the characters were deemed "regulars." When I stepped onto campus the first day of freshman year, that dream quickly faded away as I realized that being a regular at a coffee shop is an expensive task, especially for a freshman who happily pays extra for the add-ons that sweeten the deal (you'd be surprised how quickly a simple, $4 latte can become an extremely complicated, $8 concoction—Lord help me).So maybe I won't be a regular at a coffee shop, but this just gives me an opportunity to talk about Tim.Tim was a regular at the shop I worked at, and every morning around 10 o'clock he'd tie his rescued pound puppy, Amos, to the handicapped sign out front before entering the store in his white collared t-shirt, khaki shorts, and a hat that read "Samford Bulldogs." He'd order his black coffee with one ice cube along with a cup of water with no ice, entering and leaving the shop with a smile from ear to ear. He'd talk about jazz music, and he'd tell me that I really should listen to more Billie Holiday and Ray Charles. He'd talk about new chapels being built in Birmingham, and he'd talk about his favorite memories of vacations with his wife Linda and walks in the neighborhood with his oldest daughter Savannah. I learned a lot about Tim in the few short months I worked at the shop, and that's because he was a regular.I think Jesus has a lot to say about taking on the title of a regular, probably because He's the one person who perfectly walks out the nature of that label, time and time again."...And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).A simple verse, but one that holds a lot of weight and a lot of promise, all wrapped up into one sentence spoken from the mouth of our very own Savior, a regular. One thing I've learned about Jesus in my life on this earth is that He will always walk through the door at just the right time. He'll sit down at our table, and He'll ask us how we're doing and what's been capturing our minds. And He'll listen. We never have to worry about saying the wrong things or looking a certain way; He will always show up, He will always be there, and He will always come back. He's a regular.Maybe being a regular at a coffee shop isn't for everyone, but I think God asks us, His children, to take on this label in each others' lives. I think sometimes all it takes is raising your hand and strapping the simple action of "showing up" onto your back to make a nearby soul smile. Sometimes by stepping into a room, flashing a smile, and choosing to listen, you can be the difference in a cold place. So be a regular, show up and be someone's wall to lean up against or someone's mop to help clean up the mess beneath their feet. Learn to listen and learn to give a smile, even when you feel like you don't have one to give. It's never been about saving the world—just choose to show up. Choose to be a regular.words and photo by Sarah Mohan