I will be the first to say that I don’t agree with all of the views that Starbucks has shared over the last few years. I will be the first to say that I don’t drink their coffee. But it is not because of the color or design of their cup or the beliefs of the organization. Simply, I am caffeine intolerant and so… I don’t enjoy a daily or even weekly trip to buy a drink. (Also, the nearest Starbucks is 40 minutes from my house, but we can talk about that a different day.)
Today, I want to talk about offending Starbucks, and what that means exactly.
By now, you might have heard that some Christians are upset that Starbucks decided to make their holiday cups a solid red color this year. In years past, the seasonal cups included designs such as polar bears or holly branches or a range of other festive markings. But one man has taken to the internet claiming that Starbucks made the decision to create a solid red cup because they hate Jesus.
So, to prove a point, this man went into a Starbucks, bought a drink and told the barista that his name was “Merry Christmas” so that they would have to put those words on the side of his cup. In his video with over ten millions views, this man urged other Christians to do the same and take a photo documenting it so that together they could begin a movement.
He goes on to say in the video, “Starbucks, just to offend you….” And then says that he wore a shirt with Jesus on it and carried his gun because they don’t support the second amendment.
And if the tiniest part of me was even just a little impressed that this guy thought of a way to allow the employees of Starbucks to “wish him” a Merry Christmas… all of that went out the window the second I heard this guy boast that he wanted to offend them.
See, as a Christian, it is my life’s mission to know Jesus as personally as I can, and then bring others to know Him as well.
This doesn’t happen by force.
It happens when I encounter the Love of Jesus and then let that same Love flow through me – building a bridge that makes others want to cross into deeper understanding themselves.
I don’t know one person who ever came to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior because a gun-toting, Jesus–shirt wearing Christian tried to offend them… or complained about the color of a cup on the internet. I’m not saying that it hasn’t ever happened… I’m just saying… not your standard approach.
Because while this guy wore his shirt and carried his gun with the intent of offending an organization, I think maybe he forgot that “Starbucks” is a building and a brand that is made up of… people.
And as Christians it should always be our goal to reach people rather than push them away.
And I’m afraid that is exactly what this whole video and movement has done. It is a conflict-centered culture war that has created more controversy than conversions.
See, I am a Christian, but I know what Starbucks puts on the outside of their cup doesn’t change what I bring in on the inside of me. And I know that winning Starbucks for Jesus doesn’t look like forcing them to wish me a Merry Christmas… It looks like a simple moment where hope is spoken to the person behind the counter, it looks like a drink purchased for a stranger in line, it looks like a random act of kindness or a purposeful encouraging word or even a skipped drink all together and money donated to an organization that feeds hungry children… These are all ways that we bring Christmas into Starbucks, and they are much more powerful than ha, “I tricked you into putting Merry Christmas on your cup.”
Can we just take a second to refocus?
Because the truth is… sometimes the greatest change doesn’t take place because of large sweeping movements. Oftentimes the most powerful transformation takes place because of one simple moment.
And if we want to see Christ move during Christmas this year? It is up to us to make each of our moments count.
