In this video, Pastor Mark Driscoll is preaching through the book of 1 Peter 2 where in this section he is speaking about how it looks practically to 'do good' as it says in verse 15... After listening to the complete sermon I begin to hear the LORD convict my heart once again about my selfishness. Even though he is speaking about tipping in a restaurant, (which I am the WORST at, really, you have no idea.) I begin to ponder on what is the right perspective when it comes to being generous towards my husband, neighbors, and child. I confessed to the LORD in tears that I am not a generous and gracious giver. This was very deep to me as I thought about why I don't like to tip in restaurants. I cant stand slow service, I don't like my food being cold or my order not coming out complete, I don't like to see you talking to your fellow employees when you should be filling my empty glass with water, I don't like your attitude when I ask you for more napkins of ketchup for my child's meal, ect, ect, ect. So, because I don't like all of the above, you my brother gets NO TIP!!!!!! NONE!!! NADA!!! ZIP!
I want revenge, I want you to suffer for not being a good waiter....
"" 'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."
You dont desreve this tip, you didnt work hard for it, there for a sister has decided to keep her couple of dollars for another
"wait...is that how I treat you???"-God
Matthew 20
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard."About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing? 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered."He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' "The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
What a convicting, yet gracious picture of how the LORD wants me to treat all those around me. I am, just as Mark Driscoll says in that video to look for ways to preach the gospel, show grace and give generously. I just keep getting hit on the forehead with such a message. Its neat how the LORD keeps bringing this message to my face because I am always talking about living counter cultural...to be this gracious, to give this much to your husband, kids and neighbors is not the norm. I don't deserve anything the LORD has given me, just as the waiter in the restaurant, my attitude at times is the same, I am lazy in my service towards the LORD, I miss out on my times in the word sometimes, I am impatience, quick to get angry and slow to speak...yet, GOD does not pay me as my sins deserve. Should I not show the same GRACE for all those around me and those I encounter day to day??
Great...now I will never have a' normal' date night in a restaurant again