Someone left a comment on my post from July 29th.
Here is their comment:
Wow,although I do agree in leaving a tip when deserved, but leaving a scripture or tract is an eternal tip. Some servers may not see it that way, but you never know when there is someone that needs that note or truth from God's Word. He is the one who blesses. We are to allow Him to work through us and bless others.
While I agree with caring for them and being kind, it can be done in many ways. Rather than encourage friends to leave a tip, we should encourage each other to pray for what God would want them to do in that moment. Leave a tip? Or leave a tract? Or leave both?
Here is my response.
I am glad that we can talk to each other anonymously, and banter on this blog. Because I need to speak frankly. I am certain that you have never been a server. If you had, then you would know that these people do not make any money unless you tip them. They are counting on your tip to pay their bills. A tip for normal serviced should be 15%. 20% if the service was good. If the service was really bad for some reason, I might leave less, but it would have to be awful, and be the servers fault.
Leave a tract? Is that the best we have for a witness? The server that you leave the tract for will never want to see you again. If your church's name is on the tract, they will hate your church. They won't feel loved, they will feel belittled. There may be a place for tracts, but it is not when we go out to eat. Frankly, anyone that doesn't want to leave a tip should not be going to restaurants. Eat at McDonald's. Their employees at least make minimum wage.
There are several servers in the area that have become a part of our church. None of them because we left a tract. All of them because we were kind to them, and generous to them. Our actions showed our love for them by being friendly and tipping them.
How would you feel if your pay was based on a tip, and the person that you just helped, left you nothing? Please tip the servers or don't go out to eat. Figure it in, in advace, as part of the cost. It's that simple. Render to Cesar the things that are Cesar's and render to God the things that are God's. In our culture, servers are to be tipped. There is no praying about leaving a tip. What God would tell us not to tip a server in this culture? Leave the tip. It's simply the right thing to do.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, please help a server to see the good.
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5 comments:
I agree!
Amen! I recently acquired an additional child (friend of my daugher) who is a server. Without tips she cannot pay her car payment, phone bill, college expenses, gas, etc. She lives with me now because she was unable to pay rent to her parents. Considering everything else she is taking care of on her own, we moved her in. She works at Olive Garden and when Cait and I eat out (which is rare because of the cost) that is the only place we go. We ask for her section and we leave a tip. She's trying to make a living also.
Tonia
I completely agree with you Jeff! My mother busted her back for nearly every day of her working life just trying to bring home enough money to put food on our table - not enough to take us out to dinner like the people she served all day - but simply enough to put food on the table. Leave a tract?? Sure, why not. But for the love of God, leave it with a tip.
Trina Wright
When I was hungry, thirsty and had a family to support, you said you would pray for me and gave me a Bible tract.
Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, and with a family to support and handed you a Bible tract?
I tell you, whatsoever you did unto the least of these
Servers, that you did unto me.
... Here's a concept: what if we lived the scriptures more than we passed them around to other people we think need to live them? "An eternal tip..." Where do we get these ideas?
A server knows when they've done poorly. Unless they've been grossly and obviously negligent, leave a tip.
Sometimes servers start off strong, then make a mistake. If you seem angry, it deflates them. They KNOW when they are getting a bad tip. Leave them a good one and maybe a little note "cheer up" or something without complaint and it will turn their day around. I've served for years and see people cry at tips they didn't think they deserved.
Always be mindful of what you DON'T know what is going on in the back. Servers are instructed not to blame the kitchen, regardless of how poorly it is going in there. "It's a beautiful day in God's World, please help a server see the good." Yes. You literally have the power to do that. Gratitude and humility is what I felt every time one of you spoke to me kindly when I made a mistake.It's beautiful and so simple. God seems to work through us if we are open to allowing Him.
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