Filed under: Missional Living | Tags: Christians, Hypocrites, Incarnational Living, Resturant Service, Tip Etiquite, Tipping, Witness
Today in our culture Christians are know for many things both good and bad, but one that you may not realize is
Terrible Restaurant Guests
Recently on American Idol a contest who was a waitress in Texas was asked who her least favorite guests were and she said “The Sunday crowd.”
My own experience in the restaurant business has been unfortunately the same. With the exception of friends that I have a relationship with, the Sunday crowd is easily the most demanding, least forgiving, and worst tipping clientèle that come in. And it not just people like me who feel this way. Most of the servers I work with dread working Sunday lunch for the same reasons. One of my friends even said “The money is terrible and I always leave feeling abused.”
Again, how have the people entrusted with the amazing message of grace, forgiveness, and love been reduced to being know in the serving world as demanding, obnoxious, tightwads? As someone not only making a living in that world, but also trying to incarnate Jesus to my co-workers, this leaves me deeply grieved. It’s time for followers of Jesus to realize that every action in their lives has value and ramifications in the Kingdom of God. The way we treat our servers, our cashiers, and drive-through attendants speaks volumes about God and who He is, even if we don’t realize it. I’m learning that the most seemingly mundane and routine parts of my day have eternal significance not only for others but for myself. How I interact with those around me when I’m frustrated, angry, or anxious not only paints a picture of the God I follow, but can (when I’m open to Him) allow me to see God and His heart more clearly. Now granted, it’s not only Christians who eat out on Sunday afternoons, but the perception is once again what is important. If the perception is that the Sunday guests are all church people, then I, as a representative of Jesus have an obligation to change that perception to something more in line with who God is and who he has called His followers to be.
If you are a follower of Jesus it’s time for us to realize that we are a “witness” regardless of whether we are aware of it or not. My actions and attitudes either portray Jesus as someone to be sought after, followed, and worshiped who offers the best possible life. Or as an idea to be avoided, mocked, and run from that has no bearing on the real lives of its adherents. The choice is ours. Think about it just from this superficial level. As a server, with my experiences on Sunday afternoons, would the good news of Jesus be even the least bit attractive, especially if the heavy drinkers who sit loudly up in the bar are more forgiving of my mistakes and tip overwhelmingly better?
So, for God’s sake (for real) please treat your servers with the respect, dignity, and love that a fellow human loved by God deserves, and while your at it, be generous and leave a good tip (boy have I got a post coming about that one).
And whatever you do, for the sake of all of us Jesus-followers trying to live out the gospel in the restaurant context, please, please, PLEASE don’t leave one of those fake hundred dollar bills or a “Tip with eternal significance” Tract.
Filed under: Bible, Missional Living | Tags: Bible, Christianity, Christians, God, Grace, James 2, Jesus, Judgement, Love, mercy, Post-Christian, Spirituality
This might be beating a dead (or dying) horse, but here goes anyway.
As I was writing in my last post, I want to be known by what I do and what I am for. To often our society stereotypes and categorizes people and beliefs by what they are against: Republicans are against big government, Democrats are against the wealthy, Christians are against homosexuals, and reasonable people should be against any coffee shop with stores on every corner. OK maybe not that last one, but I think you get the point. Perhaps we define ourselves and other by what we are not because its easier to see what we hate in others then in ourselves, and by extension can say “I’ll never be/do that.” Yet the reality is, that all of us, when faced with the right circumstances are capable of the darkest evil. In my reading today I came across this thought in James 2.
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!”
Wow, mercy triumphs over judgement. I may be reading too much into that, but is it saying that rather then judging people by what they do or think, we are called to speak and act out of mercy?
And what is the law that gives freedom? As I understand scripture, it’s grace. The new law of Jesus is based on the fact that all of us are offered forgiveness that we do not deserve. That we all blow it and fall way short of what God created us to be. James seems to be reminding followers of Jesus that, as those who have been forgiven solely because of God’s love, we need to treat others the same way. How quickly do I forget. If anyone in the world should be agents of forgiveness, love, and reconciliation, it should be Christians who rest their entire faith and eternity on these things.
Perhaps that is what is bothering me the most. Rather then being know for what we (Christians) are against, we need to stand for what we are for. How much different would our world be, if, when people thought of Christians, they thought of the most loving, forgiving, inclusive, and creative people they knew. Maybe, it’s time for us to reframe our culture’s view of Christians. Maybe it’s time we take a stand for who we are. It can be done, but it can only be done by each of us living it out. What are we waiting for?
