Starbucks

I met a friend at Starbucks the other day.

Although I love the smell of coffee, I don't drink the stuff. I asked for a big cup (I actually pointed to the display) of hot white tea. The person behind the counter politely translated my order into Starbuckese, "I need a Venti Tazo White."

I took my drink over to a nearby counter to add some sugar. Removing the lid, I stared into a cup of steaming hot black liquid. Definitely not white tea. I asked myself the question, "Do I waste precious time correcting my order or just drink it?" I put the lid back on the cup and joined my friend.

An hour and a half later, I headed home bringing the rest of my tea with me. As I sat at my computer answering emails, it became harder and harder to concentrate. The Starbucks cup mocked me as the truth dawned in my jittery brain...I had just consumed a serious amount of caffeine!

I immediately did an internet search and discovered that a Venti (24 oz) Black Tea has approximately 125 mg. of caffeine. (There weren't any numbers for the "Tazo Awake" brand I had been given. Even the name sounds lethal!) For comparison sake: a 12 oz. can of Dr. Pepper has 41 mg. Aside from an occasional piece of chocolate or a rare soda, my average daily intake of caffeine is close to zero. No wonder I was wired!

What started out as funny turned serious as I fought waves of nausea and the sensation that I was going to jump out of my skin. My irritability continued throughout the day. Relief came in the form of a long walk through the neighborhood with a friend. She was kind enough to listen as I wondered aloud what I was supposed to learn from this experience.

In Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth he says,

"'Everything is permissable' - but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissable' - but not everything is constructive." -- 1 Corinthians 10:23

There is a reason I stay away from caffeine - it is not "beneficial" to me. I will definitely remember that the next time I order a drink at Starbucks. End of the story? No.

The Starbucks adventure illustrates the way God is calling me to a more authentic faith. More often than not, when I quiet my mind and make my body still before Him...He whispers to me about the details of my life. He shows me how even the smallest choices I make have long lasting, far reaching consequences.

Everything is permissable -- but not always beneficial (wholesome) or constructive (edifying/promoting growth). There are times when I am frustrated by how much small decisions matter to God. If I am totally honest, I would rather He help me with the big stuff and just leave the little stuff to me. But the truth is that all of my choices matter to Him.

Even the ones involving caffeine.

Abba,
You are the God of the Universe. And still, details matter to You. I want to honor You in all of the details of my life. Please show me how to make choices that are both beneficial and constructive. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.