Concierge Service

The first step toward a daily following of Christ is the denying of self. A.W. Pink

The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.  Albert Schweitzer

I was watching the news the other day and found out that college students can now have concierge service.  This particular company offers all types of concierge services to college students such as laundry service, dorm cleaning and decorating, party organizing, and grocery shopping to name a few. The founder of one of these companies’ states that his service offers a seamless transition to college life, and it is not considered an indulgence by the parents of the students but a need. The student with enough money can have everything done for them at a price. 

The thing I found interesting about the concierge service at college is the lesson it is teaching young adults.  One of the things mentioned as a benefit is that it gives the student more time to study and they even suggested that they mentor the students since their parents aren’t there.  So a parent choosing a concierge service is like picking a stranger to teach your kids how to live.

I grew up with three siblings and we all went to college.  We stood in line with everyone else to purchase books, parking stickers, and when I was a freshman I had to park at the stadium and walk a half mile across to the other side of the campus. 

The things I learned by not having a concierge service were life lessons.  Money can buy a lot of things and a concierge service is one of them.  But what does it teach young adults about life?  Many times it teaches them to be self-centered.  How will a young adult learn what God’s plan is for their life if they are not able to let go of self? 

Call me weird, but I learned some of the best life lessons through doing the very things that these students are taught they don’t have to do.  I learned to be independent and that there are some things like standing in line to purchase books that I will have to do later in life.   I learned to do my own laundry and that my parents were not going to be there to pick up after me or to hand out money when I needed it.    If I received a parking ticket for parking in the wrong lot, it was my responsibility to take care of it.  Money comes and goes but life lessons last forever.  We can’t teach young adults to love others if all they ever focus on is self. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, thank you for the life lessons I learned during my college days.  These lessons taught me how to survive in a tough world. Tough times come for everyone eventually.  I praise my parents for preparing me for the long journey ahead and You for standing by me on the tough road of life.                          

Scripture: Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.  For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.  James 3:13-18