Coffee is my love language

I love Starbucks.

Say what you will about how they support gay marriage and abortion. They do, I won't argue with you. (Although, I suppose I will because they have ALWAYS offered benefits to homosexual partners of their employees and provided abortions with their healthcare coverage- why is everyone up in arms about this NOW that is a political hot-topic?)

But, I digress. Today I was sitting in Starbucks working on my homework for the upcoming Biblical school class that I am taking this fall. As soon as I walked in the door, I was greeted by name by one of the employees. This same employee, who I only know through my daily coffee ordering interaction, a few weeks ago asked me some very personal questions about my life. She knew that I was a youth minister across the street because of the fact that I bring a girl's bible study there in the summers. She asked me about "the guy that I always come in with." She determined that we used to be just really good friends, but have moved on to dating recently, just by observing our interactions with each other. When I make a point to get dressed up in the mornings, I can always count on this barista to comment on how pretty I look. She notices when I get a haircut. If I order a different drink, she asks why.

After I ordered, as I sat there with my computer and homework out, I just observed the customers. A granddaughter was having coffee with her grandparents and her phone was not on the table. A dad was eating breakfast with his toddler daughter, and infant son. There was a group of women chatting up a storm, who seemed to know every person that walked through the door. Other young people, like me, were doing work on their computers. 

Then as I sat there, plugged into the internet & my headphones, and elderly lady walks by my table and begins to talk to me. She asked me how I could see the Bible I was reading when the letters were so small. She proceeded to inform me that she didn't need glasses until she was 75, but just wait until I am 80 and I will understand what she is talking about. Then as she sat next to me, she turned to another young man with a computer out and began to talk to him for the next 20 minutes until she left.

As I was leaving and putting cream in my coffee, another woman at the bar asked me if I knew about the secret of baking soda. I told her I did not. She informed me that baking soda made into a paste and scrubbed with a toothbrush will get out any stain from anything. She told me to remember that, and then left.

I love Starbucks. This is why I love it. Part of the mission of Starbucks as a company is to be "the third place." People have their home, and their work, and Starbucks wants to be the third place. The place that people can go when they are tired or just need to get out of the house for a minute. The place that people can meet up with old or new friends and just shoot the breeze. The place where you are known. Where you are cared about. Where you can connect with other people in our increasingly disconnected world.

Does this sound familiar? It should. It SHOULD be the Church.  Our hearts were created to be KNOWN and LOVED. How is it that we go into a totally secular environment and leave with the experience of being known and loved, but sometimes when we walk out of our Church we leave with the experience of loneliness and apathy?

 I want to learn from my Starbucks barista. I want to start noticing people. I want to know them and love them. Jesus, help me to create an environment where people can truly encounter each other and through that meet You.