A Window on Emmaus

For Wilshire Baptist Church

Sometimes I put my foot in my mouth and all I’m left with is a lingering bad taste. But occasionally I get a good lesson for my troubles.

Our double-pane kitchen window has developed a haze between the sheets of glass. It’s not unusual but it can be complicated because the fix requires taking the window apart or even replacing it. We’ve had one company come to look at it and they said replacement glass may be a different tint and the dividers might get damaged in the process. Nevertheless, they said they’d get back in touch with us but they haven’t.

Meanwhile, we discovered that we drive past a window company several times a week on our way into Dallas from Garland. I looked them up online and they are a major dealer for our brand of window. So I stopped in one day in hopes of talking to someone who might offer a solution.

It was 12:30 p.m., and when I walked in there was nobody at the reception desk. It was lunchtime and that’s not so unusual, but I still was a little put off because I wanted answers. Looking from the entrance down a long hallway, I saw nothing but doors and I could hear some voices. I thought about going that way, but then I looked the other direction and saw a short hallway that appeared to open into a showroom, so I walked that way. Nobody was there, so I turned to walk back to the entrance and saw an open office and a man sitting at a desk. I cleared my throat, which startled him to the point of almost jumping out of his chair.

“Does anybody work here?” I asked with a heavy dose of frustration if not pure sarcasm. Instead of answering that question, he walked toward me and asked, “How can I help you?”

I explained the problem and he led me back to the showroom, picked a sample window up off the floor, and showed me some letters and numbers etched in the corner of the glass. He explained that was the serial number, and if I would email him that information off our window, he’d send it to the manufacturer, and they’d tell him if the window was still under warranty as well as perhaps provide a recommendation for a repair.

Wow! I was surprised and pleased at his helpfulness. He handed me his card and I stuck it in my shirt pocket as I thanked him and walked toward the door. As I drove away, I guessed that he probably was a salesman working through lunch on a bid for a project. Or, having worked in small offices myself, I thought maybe he was the designee for staying in the office at lunchtime that day to handle stragglers like me. But when I looked at his card later, I was shocked when I read the title under his name: president. When I checked their website later, I discovered that he is the founder of the business. He isn’t just some guy who knows something about windows; he is THE guy who knows everything about windows.

Oddly, the “Road to Emmaus” comes to my mind. If you recall that story, Jesus had been crucified and while he taught and promised that he would return, there was some doubt among his disciples. Two of them were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus when Jesus walked up beside them and listened as they retold what had happened to Jesus and how they had hoped he would be the one who would redeem Israel. They were so blinded by their grief and confusion that they didn’t recognize Jesus. He told them they were foolish for not believing what the prophets had promised, and they apparently were impressed enough to invite him to dinner. Only when he broke bread and prayed did they recognize him, and then he vanished. Turns out he wasn’t just a man who knew something about Jesus; he WAS Jesus.

So far, the window man hasn’t vanished. I sent him the information he requested – along with an apology for my tacky comment – and he said he’d get back to me in a few days with some information. He’s going the extra mile because his company’s reputation is on the line. He’s treating a potential client with the smallest project imaginable – a one-window repair – like a builder who needs windows for an entire house or all the houses in a residential development.

I don’t know how the window problem will work out, but I’ve been reminded again how important it is to treat everyone with respect. The lackey in the office may just be the owner of the business. And the stranger on the road may just be the one who is the key to everything.