Starbucks and Grace

I am not a coffee drinker. But that doesn't stop me from being a regular customer at Starbucks. Nearly every morning I stop in and order my venti no-water chai. Rain or shine, snow or sleet, there is nothing that gets my blood flowing quicker than a sip of this wonderful drink.

Last week I went to one of my favorite (I have several favorite Starbucks stores.....don't judge me) Starbucks. Instead of going inside which I normally do, I went through the drive-thru. There was quite a line of cars so it took a little while in order for me to make my way to the window to receive my wonderful drink to get my day started right. I was greeted in the normally friendly way and the young girl handed me my drink. Then she asked an interesting question. "Would you like a free breakfast sandwich? We made it for the lady in front of you and she didn't want it. You can have it if you like." "Sure!" I replied. My first thought was one of great gratitude. This will be nice. Not only do I get my wonderful drink, but I'll get a free sandwich out of this. That makes my day! What a wonderfully, serendipitous moment! Then another ominous thought entered my mind. This one was not as grateful. In fact, it wasn't grateful at all. "I've spent enough money on my chai here every day. I deserve getting this free sandwich. After all, I am probably one of their best customers."

All right, here's the theology lesson. And I realize that this metaphor doesn't carry over in everything, but hang in there with me. Isn't this a lot like grace? We respond to God's grace in several ways. My experience at Starbucks introduced me to two of those reactions. When God showers me with grace, I can respond thankfully. His grace is given to me with no strings attached and my response can and should be one of thanks. One of the members at my church will often give me a compliment after a sermon. I try to be humble and reflect this compliment. Then he says to me, "Just say, 'Thank you.'" Perhaps other than a dedicated life filled with love and devotion, our best response to God's grace should be a simple, but overflowing feeling of gratitude.

On the other hand, our response to God's grace could be like my second reaction to the free sandwich. "Well, I've served God when others didn't. I am valuable to God so I deserve this grace I am receiving. I believe the Greek word for that is "baloney." Although it sounds ridiculous, often that's my reaction. The sense of privilege and right come through in this attitude. Paul makes it plain that we are in no way deserving of the grace God gives us. "But because of his great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." Then in the same passage, he says it again. "For it is by brace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-9).

So perhaps my advice to anyone who hears the call of grace and doesn't know exactly what to say. May I offer a suggestion? Just say "thank you." And don't be surprised the lessons you can learn as you go about your life. Sometimes, those lessons can come even from a little visit to Starbucks. I hope your day is a good one. JW