For the Love of Coffee
Ahhh...coffee. How did I make it thirty years without you? Wait, I remember. It was my mother's fault.
First, a little history. If you know my mom, you know she can do almost anything. She can throw a fastball and sew a dress. She can bake pies and solve complex math problems. My mom lifts heavy objects, fixes broken things, and soothes crying babies. Basically, she's superwoman. As a small child, I was convinced my mom was better than every other mom and dad in the world - and a twinge of that feeling still remains. So, when I asked her one day why she didn't drink coffee, she said, "I'm afraid I might like it and I do not want to become addicted." That was good enough for me. I decided I wouldn't drink coffee either.
At thirty, I threw in the towel. I blame Starbucks. They made coffee taste like energy wrapped in hot chocolate. It was excellent! Coffee and I are going on ten years together and I like our relationship. My friends like coffee too. Even my husband, started drinking coffee this past year. Coffee is popular. If you don't drink it, you obviously aren't part of the cool crowd. (Okay, I realize I will never be part of the cool crowd, but you get my point.)
America is obsessed with coffee. We prepare it in thousands of different ways. It accompanies nearly all of our social gatherings. We share pictures of it on social media and proclaim ourselves to be coffee snobs because we know which kinds of coffee preparations are far superior to others. Honestly, I don't like the taste of coffee. It all tastes like burnt water to me unless you drench it in creamer or chocolate. But I love the way coffee makes me feel.
Yet my desire for coffee concerns me. Many Christians are quick to condemn the addictive habit of smoking. Others will easily condemn drunkenness because they can point to specific Bible verses. Reluctantly, believers will even admit gluttony or food addictions are sinful (but we like to keep that on the down-low at church). But caffeine addiction? That is celebrated - praised - even bragged about! Just the other day, I saw a sign hanging in a church that read, "All I need is Jesus - and coffee." Well, if it is a need, it is a need, right?
Now, back to my mom. When I was little, she would kneel by my bed at night and teach me to pray. I distinctly remember her teaching me to think about my day and consider ways I had sinned against God. This was not my favorite part of praying. However, as I grew older and read my Bible more, I noticed that David did the same thing. In fact, He asked God to find sinful areas of his life and root them out. David wrote:
America's obsession with coffee may seem innocent, but no obsession is ever innocent. When we obsess over anything other than God, we dishonor Him. But is coffee really a problem? The truth is all types of addiction are sinful, even if they are our favorite and celebrated by society. God alone must occupy the throne of our lives. And no, He isn't sitting there with a cup of coffee in His hand.
First, a little history. If you know my mom, you know she can do almost anything. She can throw a fastball and sew a dress. She can bake pies and solve complex math problems. My mom lifts heavy objects, fixes broken things, and soothes crying babies. Basically, she's superwoman. As a small child, I was convinced my mom was better than every other mom and dad in the world - and a twinge of that feeling still remains. So, when I asked her one day why she didn't drink coffee, she said, "I'm afraid I might like it and I do not want to become addicted." That was good enough for me. I decided I wouldn't drink coffee either.
America is obsessed with coffee. We prepare it in thousands of different ways. It accompanies nearly all of our social gatherings. We share pictures of it on social media and proclaim ourselves to be coffee snobs because we know which kinds of coffee preparations are far superior to others. Honestly, I don't like the taste of coffee. It all tastes like burnt water to me unless you drench it in creamer or chocolate. But I love the way coffee makes me feel.
Yet my desire for coffee concerns me. Many Christians are quick to condemn the addictive habit of smoking. Others will easily condemn drunkenness because they can point to specific Bible verses. Reluctantly, believers will even admit gluttony or food addictions are sinful (but we like to keep that on the down-low at church). But caffeine addiction? That is celebrated - praised - even bragged about! Just the other day, I saw a sign hanging in a church that read, "All I need is Jesus - and coffee." Well, if it is a need, it is a need, right?
Now, back to my mom. When I was little, she would kneel by my bed at night and teach me to pray. I distinctly remember her teaching me to think about my day and consider ways I had sinned against God. This was not my favorite part of praying. However, as I grew older and read my Bible more, I noticed that David did the same thing. In fact, He asked God to find sinful areas of his life and root them out. David wrote:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." -Psalm 139:23-24 (NRSV)
America's obsession with coffee may seem innocent, but no obsession is ever innocent. When we obsess over anything other than God, we dishonor Him. But is coffee really a problem? The truth is all types of addiction are sinful, even if they are our favorite and celebrated by society. God alone must occupy the throne of our lives. And no, He isn't sitting there with a cup of coffee in His hand.
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