Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

How’s the coffee at your church? If it is like most churches, it’s pretty bad. Usually we buy the cheapest brand, make it weak, and almost always we use decaf. Drinking a cup of coffee is a least a step of faith and at most an act of penitence.

The point of this little tirade, of course, is not the quality of coffee, but our attitude about what we do in church. Do we settle for second best in what we undertake in the church? Do we anticipate receiving forgiveness when something is good enough but not great?

For the most part, those who are called to ministry do not assume this attitude. They see what they are doing as an expression of their commitment to God, so they put a great deal of time and effort into planning worship, practicing music, writing sermons, preparing Bible studies, and visiting parishioners.

And many of our church members have the same vision. Whatever they do, they do as an expression of their love for God, especially in the most visible things.

Where we often fall short in the small things. Some of us who are teachers study our lesson on the drive to church. We allow our classrooms to become messy and littered. We fail to stop and say hello to someone who is unfamiliar to us in the worship service. We think about what is the least we can do and still feel alright about ourselves.

The small things count. They show we care.

Am I being too critical? Maybe I just need my second cup of coffee.

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