At two years, forget about it. I was so vocal about the fact that I had been there for two years.
Fast forward seven years.
I am still a barista.
what once was pride and arrogance over a long tenure serving coffee has now turned in to somewhat of an embarrassment for me. I mean, on the surface it looks like a 28-year-old married woman with her master's degree still slinging java. I feel so much pressure to "make something" of myself. Make something of my degrees. Show the people who funded my scholarship that their money was not wasted on a barista lifer.
A few days ago, i got to thinking/remembering a sermon I heard by a man named Louie Giglio at a Passion conference in Nashville. During this particular sermon, he asked those of us who were committed to full-time Christian ministry to stand up. Again, feeling this sense of pride swell in my heart, I stood to my feet (along with about 1500 or so of my fellow like-mindeds). He then asked if we would be seated. Next was when my blinders were removed. He asked those who were not being called to or heading in to "full-time ministry" to stand to their feet. He stated that this sermon was for them. The title of this sermon? "Passion. Purpose. And designer jeans." (you can find it for free on iTunes just type in the title)
For the next forty-or-so minutes, he explained how invaluable people are who have dreams of working in fashion and engineering and real estate and insurance and every other job that does not have anything to do with ministry on a surface level. And he challenged them to do their job with integrity because at some point someone would ask them why they do what they do and their life would serve as their testimony and platform from which to make Christ known. I was so inspired by this but, again, I knew my life would involve full-time ministry.
Fast forward years and years to my employment with Starbucks Coffee Company. And I have had a crisis of belief. Because, for all of these years, I have been waiting for my ministry to start. I have been waiting and so sad that I still....still....serve
But then the giglio sermon comes back to my mind. and then I heard another sermon Tuesday that just blew my mind and left me with the biggest smile on my face. I listened to a sermon on the Great Commission that changed everything for me.
The classic understanding of the GC is an understanding to go and make disciples. Which is a perfectly fine interpretation. If you grew up in church you probably heard this all over the place or even donned it on a mission trip t-shirt as you headed down to build houses in Mexico (and there is nothing wrong with that!). But what I heard on Tuesday was this tiny little two-letter-word, go can also be translated "as you go". WHAT?!?! That is a HUGE difference! Because, to me, "go" can mean depart the place where you are and go elsewhere. But "as you go" means "as you go" about your day in your work, hobbies, home, grocery shopping, working out, etc. etc. etc. make disciples! This causes me to second-guess how I treat my customers, fellow partners, employees at clothing stores, cashiers, waitresses, and so on.
When I apply this to Starbucks, it can completely shift my mentality of thinking and approach to my current job. I do not need to wait for my ministry career to begin. In fact, I have a huge mission field right where I am. And I truly believe I am using my degree right now. At Starbucks. I am using my counseling classes, bible class, preaching class, and several of my ministry classes. Now, my heart is still stirred up and passionate about full-time Christian ministry in a church setting but, for now, I can rejoice that God has given me a store of people who have never heard about God or have a very bad taste in their mouths about Christianity. In this sense, as I go in Starbucks, I hope to create disciples. Not converts. Committed disciples.
2 comments:
SO true. Thanks for sharing this Car, its such a good reminder. :)
this is so encouraging to me! I just finished my masters in psychology in June and right now I am still working at the ymca front desk answering phones and preparing to become a momma through adoption. and I still think all the time and energy was SO worth it and I use the skills I learned everyday!
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