Once, he (Imam Reza as) wanted to take a bath but disliked ordering someone to prepare the bath for him. So he went to the public bath in the market. The bathhouse keeper did not know Imam ar-Redha (a.s). There was a soldier in the bathhouse who also wanted to take a bath. The soldier removed Imam ar-Redha (a.s) from his place and ordered him to pour water over his head. Another man, who knew Imam ar-Redha (a.s), entered the bath and cried out to the soldier, “You will perish! Do you use the son of the daughter of the messenger of Allah to serve you?” The soldier became so astonished and bent down kissing the feet of Imam ar-Redha (a.s) while saying to him, “Why did you not disobey me when I had ordered you?!”
Imam ar-Redha (a.s) smiled at him and said leniently and kindly, “There is a reward in doing that, and I did not want to disobey you in what I shall be rewarded for.” ( Noor al-Absar, p.138.)