Third Easter

Luke 24: 41 – 43

Jesus asked, “Do you have any food here?” They gave him a piece of left-over they had cooked. He took it and ate it right before their eyes.

Business lunches are not what they used to be, and even power breakfasts are waning, but meeting face-to-face and sharing a meal with someone with whom you’re interested in doing business is still a good idea. Talking business while dining has a different feel than a scheduled meeting in the office. It is less formal and constraining. Conversation and creative thoughts flow more freely, and much is revealed about a person’s character in the simple process of ordering, eating, and paying for the food.

How long does it take for a person to decide what to order? What’s his or her treatment of the wait staff? What manners does he or she display while eating? How does the bill get settled?

Like Jesus, each of us is revealed in the breaking of the bread. Make sure you are comfortable with what others will see in you at a shared meal, and don’t risk doing business – as a partner, an employer, or employee – with someone who is incapable of showing common courtesy to a waiter, talks with a mouth full of food, or skimps on a tip. Nine times out of 10, you’ll end up choking on the deal.