The new Panera Bread on Winston Park, Oakville opened a couple days ago and they were offering a week of free gifts/deals during their opening week. Since I love free gifts (and really, who doesn't), I went to check out the new location on the first day to take advantage of their free travel mugs, free coffee, gas card and you-pick-2 deals. Yesterday was Mother's Day and they were offering free entrees for all mothers. Since my family wasn't too hungry for dinner, we decided to go there to have our mother's day dinner. To no surprise, there were a bunch of mothers with their kids and husbands as well. Both atmosphere and service were great (After all, It IS their opening week so they do want to get business - it happened to Artisano as well until their service and atmosphere went downhill a year later) and we were definitely enjoying ourselves. The staff also gave away a bag of free bagels as part of their "promotion".
While we were eating and enjoying ourselves, a group of women were talking loudly in Cantonese behind us. They definitely received their free entrees, but on top of that, EACH woman got a free bag of bagels. But the main fuss was this: two of the women (whom I assumed ordered late) each got a free loaf of bread from the baker. With no intentions of overhearing, the two women went to tell their two other friends and immediately the other two friends went to the bakery area to take advantage of this free gift. But to no avail, there was no more. They were obviously angered by it and immediately stopped the waitress and asked her why only some people got the free loaf of bread and some didn't. To them, it wasn't fair and all of them demanded answers. The waitress didn't know what to say but only told them in a very gentle voice that "maybe it was only a one time thing, I don't know anything". But because the staff were trained to be nice, the waitress double checked with the bakery and came back with free loaves of bread.
While sitting there eating and listening, I became really embarrassed by this whole ordeal; not only by their greed, but by the fact that they were Asian and went to the extreme to "fight" for a free loaf of bread. That's where stereotype starts, people make a generalization of asians from one small incident - that Asians are greedy people. But honestly, I really don't understand why people would go to the extreme of doing such a thing. It is ONLY a loaf of bread and since each woman already has a free bag of bagels, how much bread can one eat? It is not a free house or car we're talking about here. People need to remember that they did not deserve these bagels or loaf of bread. They didn't pay for it. The restaurant was just nice enough to give it out to people. It was a privilege not a right. We have no right to be angry or to do demand for free gifts.
In retrospect, it is just like God's love for us. It is FREE, but why aren't people accepting it? why aren't people fighting for it? We're definitely UNdeserving and UNworthy of such gifts, but why aren't people lining up fighting for it? or taking advantage of it. IT IS FREE for all and it is UNLIMITED! Each person can get it whenever and wherever! bagels and bread only cost max. $10, and they will be gone after consumption, but God's love and grace are priceless. Salvation lasts for ETERNITY! isn't it more precious than a cheap loaf of bread?
So I guess this is one major difference between Christian and non-Christians. People want to see and feel tangible things and want immediate results. Hmm, just some food for thought....
