Tipping, Justice, and the Gospel
After reading Justin Taylor's post on Christians and restaurants, and the two articles to which he referred (Daniel Holland - "The Dreaded Church Table," and Greg Koukl - "The Ambassador and the Witness"), I felt convicted, stunned, and recharged to get out into restaurants and make Jesus look good, if partly by tipping well.
But, thanks be to God, Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile has brought his readers back to a Biblical worldview with his responding post. He gives us four principles by which to think and act, and I will briefly summarize:
1. Employers should pay their employees a fair, livable wage.
Thabiti points out that restaurant employers get away with robbery and greed by paying their employees less than minimum wage. The Bible rebukes this practice in places like Leviticus 19:13, Luke 7:10, 1 Timothy 5:18, and James 5:3-5. He also reminds us that the fair pay discussion ought to be about wages and tipping, not either/or. And I would add, speak to your restaurant manager about this the next time you get a chance.
2. Resist inappropriate social stigmas of every kind.
Don't tip out of guilt or shame. Thabiti writes, "The current system of tipping is built, in part, on an ethic of shame and guilt. People who do not tip “generously” are in danger of the wagging finger, disapproving look, and apparently of religious profiling and scuttle-butt in the Applebee’s kitchen. It’s interesting to me that we think the name of Christ is brought into disrepute because of tipping. Isn’t the Christian the counter-cultural agent in society? Isn’t the Christian the bearer of news even when they don’t have tip money? Perhaps this is another place where we should be questioning the association of Christ and money."
3. Advance true biblical witnessing.
Thabiti points out that even those who have very little money are called to be good witnesses to their wait staff, so it must not solely depend on money and tipping. In fact, he says, Christian employees and customers ought to be, regardless of the reaction, clearly associated with the name of Jesus and His (Biblical) Gospel.
He writes, "If we’re going to be out among the lost, well let’s get to Jesus. Let’s have them occupied with either receiving, considering, or rejecting the Savior rather than receiving, considering or rejecting our sitting in their section because of perceived tip inadequacies. Wouldn’t it be better if the kitchen conversation was: “Oh man… here come more praying Christians. They’re kind… but I’m going to hear about Jesus and my need for the umpteenth time. I know the gospel already and I’m tired of having to face it.” If that’s the lament, then perhaps we’re being ambassadors and our being out in public has some social and spiritual value."
4. Priorities in Giving.
Thabiti rightly points out that, in the giving of our money, God comes first, in the form of our local church and other missionaries and ministries, then our families, then what? Should we only tip waitstaff? Why not teachers? Garbagemen? Public servants?
These are wise, well-rounded, Biblical words from an elder I certainly respect. Let us believe that the Gospel of God is fuller than tipping and manners alone can explain and speak about Him - often, so very often - to our world.
But, thanks be to God, Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile has brought his readers back to a Biblical worldview with his responding post. He gives us four principles by which to think and act, and I will briefly summarize:
1. Employers should pay their employees a fair, livable wage.
Thabiti points out that restaurant employers get away with robbery and greed by paying their employees less than minimum wage. The Bible rebukes this practice in places like Leviticus 19:13, Luke 7:10, 1 Timothy 5:18, and James 5:3-5. He also reminds us that the fair pay discussion ought to be about wages and tipping, not either/or. And I would add, speak to your restaurant manager about this the next time you get a chance.
2. Resist inappropriate social stigmas of every kind.
Don't tip out of guilt or shame. Thabiti writes, "The current system of tipping is built, in part, on an ethic of shame and guilt. People who do not tip “generously” are in danger of the wagging finger, disapproving look, and apparently of religious profiling and scuttle-butt in the Applebee’s kitchen. It’s interesting to me that we think the name of Christ is brought into disrepute because of tipping. Isn’t the Christian the counter-cultural agent in society? Isn’t the Christian the bearer of news even when they don’t have tip money? Perhaps this is another place where we should be questioning the association of Christ and money."
3. Advance true biblical witnessing.
Thabiti points out that even those who have very little money are called to be good witnesses to their wait staff, so it must not solely depend on money and tipping. In fact, he says, Christian employees and customers ought to be, regardless of the reaction, clearly associated with the name of Jesus and His (Biblical) Gospel.
He writes, "If we’re going to be out among the lost, well let’s get to Jesus. Let’s have them occupied with either receiving, considering, or rejecting the Savior rather than receiving, considering or rejecting our sitting in their section because of perceived tip inadequacies. Wouldn’t it be better if the kitchen conversation was: “Oh man… here come more praying Christians. They’re kind… but I’m going to hear about Jesus and my need for the umpteenth time. I know the gospel already and I’m tired of having to face it.” If that’s the lament, then perhaps we’re being ambassadors and our being out in public has some social and spiritual value."
4. Priorities in Giving.
Thabiti rightly points out that, in the giving of our money, God comes first, in the form of our local church and other missionaries and ministries, then our families, then what? Should we only tip waitstaff? Why not teachers? Garbagemen? Public servants?
These are wise, well-rounded, Biblical words from an elder I certainly respect. Let us believe that the Gospel of God is fuller than tipping and manners alone can explain and speak about Him - often, so very often - to our world.
Labels: daily life
posted by Orangette at 9:16 AM
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