Church-goers Refuse to Tip?!? NOT WJWD
- Posted by jasondaye on February 3rd, 2009 filed in Christ-follower, church, culture, serving
I get incredibly frustrated with church-goers giving Christ-followers a black eye over and over again… How can some people be so clueless and cold?
Tom Steagold, a pastor/author/teacher from North Carolina, shared a story that his daughter experienced last week while working at her local Chili’s. Apparently a group of church-goers stopped in on the evening of Sunday, January 25th. They were seated, not in his daughter’s section, but at one of her co-worker’s tables. Her co-worker greeted them and asked for their drink order only to be informed of the following: “We want to tell you up front that we will not be tipping you tonight because we do not believe in people working on Sunday.”
Wow… really? What a witness for the Gospel. Really? No, really?!?
How can six people who just left a Sunday evening church service make such a ridiculous and hypocritical statement to a perfect stranger?!? Unfortunately, all too easily. Fortunately the manager approached the table and said “We don’t believe in making our people work for nothing, so I will be serving you tonight.” Great manager. Took care of six people who just don’t seem to understand the concept of love while demonstrating love to the server that would have been stiffed.
And we wonder why Christianity has been misunderstood and not easily trusted? I believe it all starts with those who claim to understand what it means to follow Christ but fail miserably… and I am not trying to say that I get it right all the time.
But let’s consider what these representatives of Jesus shared with the staff of Chili’s that night:
- We don’t know you or your story and we don’t care to know you or your story. They made it plain and clear from the start that they weren’t interested in this person. Furthermore they had already decided on their course of action irregardless of the service, work ethic, compassion or friendliness of the server.
- We are willing to take advantage of you and we are smug enough to let you know upfront. They let the server know they truly don’t value the services being offered and they are refusing to compensate for being served. (Wow… as I typed that last line I am reminded even more so of how unChristlike this truly is!) The arrogance of informing the server upfront that they wouldn’t be receiving a tip is unbelievable. (Oh.. and I can just hear them defending this move by saying “we thought it would be fair and just to advise them we weren’t going to tip”… aargh.)
- We are judging you for working on a Sunday but it’s OK for us to come into this restaurant and receive the very services we condemn you for offering. Can you say “hypocrite”? ’nuff said.
Living as a true Christ-follower by extending God’s love to others is often challenging enough in the world in which we live because of the stereotypes many place on Christians. It is moments like this one at a neighborhood Chili’s that make it even more challenging to share the truth and love of Jesus with others.
I don’t blame people for thinking Christians are hypocrites if their interactions with those who claim to represent Christ and his Church are like what we see in this example. Who could?
What are your thoughts?
How would you respond to those diners if you were the server?
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February 3rd, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Wow, I can’t believe they said that? The hypocrisy is completely evident. If you are a person who is a strict Sabbatarian, then you don’t go to a restaurant. But you don’t go and then refuse to tip….
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Ooooo…people like this make me so mad! They have as much intelligence, love, and thought as a rubber tree plant! Aarrgghh! Thank you for this. I hope it will hit home for some. Great post! Blessings to you…
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:13 pm
I would have kindly said…”Neither do I, but someone has to be here to serve you!” One day I’m gonna write a book on “Why the World Hates the Church…Duh!”
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Wow! People are so stupid! And it makes it so much worse when they are “christians”.
My husband and I always give more than what is expected. Waiters/Waitresses do not have 9-5 jobs with benefits…and we know they live on their tips.
When we are eating, we always try to mention God and church. If we do not have the opportunity, we always write “God Bless You!” on the ticket when we leave her tip.
When we walk away, we want to be sure that Waitress knows that we love God and we treated her/him better than the average joe.
Christians should be letting their lights shine! Tipping is just one little way to light that candle.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Wow that is brutal. Why go to a restaurant on Sunday in first place. That’s crazy.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:21 pm
So sad,
the people who lost out on that evening was not the waitress, but the people who denied themselves the opportunity to bless someone else. I hope this waitress forgives them for they know not what they do.
Tim
February 3rd, 2009 at 8:31 pm
so sad…so true. Good article.
February 4th, 2009 at 12:17 am
I have been lucky enough to avoid waitering so far in my life. Having read this article, I just remembered why the job has never held much attraction for me. What absolute gall. I hope the people who said that read this, and I hope they know what idiots they made of themselves, and what damage they did to the church. This story should go into the local newspaper.