The Bigger Problem with the Starbucks Red Cup Controversy

Nicki and I were traveling to Nashville on Sunday afternoon when I had to take a quick restroom break. I walked up to the urinal and there it was, the infamous gospel tract. I was just about to post a photo of it on Instagram and tell all the Christians in the world how they’re wasting time and resources by leaving their tracts on urinals (because who really wants to pick something up off the urinal? Think about it). When I read what it said and starting thinking about the question it asked, I completely forgot to take the picture.

“Do you want to be a Christian?”

Do I?

If I were not already a Christian, would I want to become one at this moment in my life?

What does becoming a Christian look like? What does it mean to become a Christian?

I wonder what non-Christians would say when they saw that question?

If a non-Christian didn’t have a Bible & wanted to know what Christianity looked like, what it meant to be a Christian, and what it would do for their life, who would they ask those questions? Who would they turn to in order to have those questions answered? Christians?

With the current controversy over Starbucks’ new red cups for the Christmas and Holiday season, my immediate thought was, “Do I want to become a Christian and become a scrooge about anything and everything I don’t like?”

Seriously! As a Christian reading the question on the Christian tract that was my exact thoughts about Christianity. Do you wonder if that’s what the world thinks about us? How can we rightly ask anyone if they want to become a Christian?

Christian to Non-Christian: “Do you want to become a Christian?”
Non-Christian to Christian: “What is a Christian?”
Christian to Non-Christian: “Hold on, let me finish updating my post on Facebook…. ‘Starbucks is furthering the war on Christmas; they took  the snowflakes and ornaments off their Christmas cups; if you buy coffee from them be sure to tell them your name is Merry Christmas (it’s okay if I lie about my name because it’s for Jesus) and while I’m here posting let me splatter a few more rants and criticisms on my wall like how Christians shouldn’t eat Girl Scout Cookies and by the way I hate this and I hate that. Why can’t more non-Christians act like Christians? What is this world coming to? Christian businesses should be free to serve who they want and don’t want, but secular businesses should accommodate Christians! Also, here are a few more internet conspiracy theories that probably aren’t true, but  I saw them posted on someone’s wall’ ….a Christian looks like me and we don’t go to Hell when we die!”
Non-Christian to Christian: “No thank you, your life looks like a living Hell!”

That’s not even the biggest problem with this whole controversy.

What is the Bigger Problem?

The bigger problem with the Starbucks Red Cup Controversy, and any others like it, is the GOSPEL. Everyone ranting about Starbucks not printing their cups correctly are promoting a works based theology which teaches people they must be morally good people to be right with God & to be accepted by him.

Christians: God’s walking talking billboards are going to rise up against a non-Christian company that has no claim on Christianity and demand they do Christmas our way, or we will reject them, and they are somehow supposed to believe that we are promoting a God who extends radical grace to all people? A God of love, mercy, and forgiveness? If Starbucks’ employees, executives, and the world don’t see it in us, how are they supposed to be introduced to our God and our Savior, Jesus?

Let’s just ignore that God accepts us in Jesus. He doesn’t accept us because we did Christmas his way, or we did church his way. He doesn’t love and forgive us because we first did life his way. No, he loves, forgives, and accepts us before we know what is right and wrong. He chooses us way before we choose him. He didn’t wait for us to start doing anything right or stop doing anything wrong, yet that’s exactly the life we demand of companies like Starbucks and sadly it’s probably what many are demanding of other people in their life as well.

Every Christian who has decided to boycott, shout at, and raise a fuss over red cups has decided they would rather teach: Do good Starbucks and Christians will be cool with you (Bonus: God will be too, because God is just like us!).

Do what’s right Starbucks and you’ll honor God and Jesus by keeping CHRIST in Christmas.

Essentially, we’re not concerned with you as people. We’re not concerned with your hearts being transformed so you can see Jesus for who he really is. We’re only concerned that you accommodate our Holiday in which we celebrate the birth of our Savior, who you’ll never meet, if it’s up to us.

With every post, with every shout, and with every complaint we’re telling Starbucks, their employees, and the world that Christian-like performance is what Jesus and his followers expect, and require, to be accepted.

This is not the gospel.

As a Christian, the gospel is your greatest stumbling block to requiring Christian behavior from a non-Christian business or individual.

You want Outrage? Be Outraged

If Christians want to be outraged, let’s start within our own camp, not with those who are outside it.

Paul instructed Christians to be careful how we treat outsiders:

Colossians 4:5-6 NLT  Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. ⁶ Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

The writer of Hebrews told Christians to provide accountability for those within our own faith:

Hebrews 3:12-13 NLT Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. ¹³ You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.

Do you want to be outraged by something? How about….

• Very few Christians give sacrificially or generously. Giving per capita to the local church is 2.5% – many who say they love the church and are ‘All In’ for the vision and mission, give nothing [stats]
• Local churches are handcuffed from doing necessary ministry, not only because of lack of finances, but due to lack of people using their gifts, talents, and abilities to serve due to the demands of their career, personal recreation, youth sports, hobbies, vacations, and other time consuming activities.
• In 2014, a Lifeway poll showed that 78% of Christians did not share their faith and 59% did not invite anyone to attend church with them [stats]
• An estimated 663 Million people (1 in 10) lack access to clean water [stats]
• 842 Million people worldwide lack proper nutrition [stats]
• An estimated 7 Million children are orphans worldwide [stats]
• Approximately 2 BILLION people have never heard the gospel worldwide [stats]

Why do we expect non-Christians to honor Jesus, who hasn’t yet transformed their hearts and radically saved them, when we claim he has transformed our hearts and radically saved us, but based on the stats above we don’t honor him ourselves? Has Christ really transformed our hearts? Do we want to keep Christ in Christmas because it’s our way of worshiping and honoring his birth?

Based on just a few of the stats above, do we really have time to be fussing about snowflakes and ornaments on red cups? Do we really have a leg to stand on when we say people are trying to change Christmas, when Christmas hasn’t changed us?

I like what Job said to his religious friends:

“If only you could be silent! That’s the wisest thing you could do.” Job 13:5 NLT

Maybe we can learn from that. Christian friends, we have much work to do within our own walls. Let’s leave non-believers alone and work to ensure our hearts are seeking Jesus and our hands are serving his people. Maybe, just maybe non-believers will see we are his followers because of our love, for them, not decorated cups.