It Is Not Just About the Coffee

When people see or hear that I have been at Starbucks...again...they sometimes make comments about my frequent trips there.  They say that I must REALLY like their coffee or they point out the cost of the coffee.  I actually buy one the cheapest drinks that they offer.  The truth is, it is not just about the coffee.  It is literally a ministry opportunity.  Ministry opportunity?  Yes.  I have had the privilege of getting to know most if not all of the employees personally.  I know them in a way that allows me to pray for their needs, encourage them, and show them the love of Christ.  It is not just about the coffee.  Yes, I love a good cup of coffee and I enjoy it anytime of the day, but if it were just about the coffee, I would stay at home.  Coffee is what allows me to "connect" to people that I otherwise would not know.  I firmly believe that ministering to people requires you to be around people, reach out to people, and connect with people.  I grew up in the shadows of my daddy as he lived his life this way.  He never met a stranger.  Everyone he encountered he set out to get to know in some way.  When I was little I watched him talk to the employees of McDonald's as he had his morning coffee and biscuit.  I watched as he would sit at stores waiting on my mama.  He would talk to the other gentlemen sitting there.  On our way home from these places I would hear him as he would share with me what he learned about these people.  Every encounter was an opportunity.  Christ was the same way.  He made every single encounter an opportunity to encourage, teach, heal, or save.  Why are we any different?  I jokingly call Starbucks my ministry but the truth is that it really is.  I have conversations with people there that allow me to later pray for them or encourage them.  So the next time you see me with my Starbucks cup remember that it is not just about the coffee.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God”
(1 Cor. 10:31)