My Bible Blog

Tips

Today's blog is going to be a little bit different, but I feel like this is a topic that I need to discuss, even if it does not lead to a theme or a story. 

By tips, I mean the amount of money that you leave for your waitress or waiter after a meal at a restaurant. Unlike in other places of the world, this is customary in the United States, and tips often make up a large sum of waiter's income. In fact, the minimum wage for a "tipped employee" is $2.13 compared to $7.25 as the minimum wage for an employee who does not receive tips. Thus, this money is extremely important to their job. 

I was not aware that this was an issue, particularly with Christians, until listening to a podcast and asking some friends of mine who work at a restaurant. However, there is a huge issue with Christians refusing to tip their waiters*, especially on Sunday. Even worse, churches sometimes hand out a religious tract (which is like a note about God or a religion) instead.

 To be clear, I do not have a problem with leaving a religious tract. As Christians, we are meant to spread the word of God anywhere and anytime. However, some of these tracts look like real money, and often, large sums of money, such as a thousand or a million dollars. 

I get it- the gospel is worth a lot more than a million dollars, but so is the person who is waiting on you. If they are working on a Sunday, it probably is not to blatantly stand up against God, but rather because they need the money or are afraid of losing their job. If you would like to leave a religious tract, fine, but please do not leave a "fake bill" to trick them into thinking that they have received a windfall. It is cruel. God's promises do not need to be disguised as a million dollars to be worthy. They can stand alone. 

I get it if you decide not to leave a tip because you believe that people should not be working on the Sabath. But, if you feel this way, do not go to a restaurant after church. When you go to a restaurant, you give them business, which further encourages them to be open on a Sunday, and you give a job to a waiter or waitress. If you do not believe that they should be working, then do not go and require them to serve you food. This is a catch-22. It simply does not make sense to me. 

Among this, remember that every single one of us, including me, has broken at least one commandment in our lives. Despite this, God still loves us, and that is why He sent His son to die for us. Above all else, we are called to love our neighbors and our enemies. We are called to show them a small sliver of the love that our God has showed us. If you want to preach the gospel to a waiter, go ahead, but please leave a tip as well. A tip shows that you appreciate their service and that you choose to love them, rather than admonish them for their sins. 

If anything, the best day to be a waiter should be on a Sunday. If you are a Christian, you should make it the best day for them. Have empathy on them, knowing that we all are lost. Go out of your way to make their day better, in whatever way that you can. More than anything, we are called to love. Show them love. Show them that they are loved by you and by God by giving them the respect and thanks that they deserve. 

Please, do not make them fight over who will work on a Sunday because the "awful Christians" are going to be there and are going to withhold money from them. That is plain ridiculous. 

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 Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another. For he that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law."

*I use the word "waiter" to save time, but I am also referring to any female waitresses.