Justifying Corrections (part 2)

In the previous entry I talked about all the possible drinks that a coffee shop can make. With all these possible combinations there are bound to be mistakes. Sometimes these mistakes are a result of the barista mishearing or assuming something. Believing in our justification by faith in Christ can free us from trying to justify our mistakes and can help us freely confess them.

Things are more difficult, however, when we know it was the customer who made the mistake. These can also be the most frustrating mistakes. I don’t know how many cappuccino have been returned to be because they weren’t sweet (like the one they got at the gas station last week). cappuccino aren’t supposed to be sweet! They are espresso and foamed milk! If you want a wussy sweet cappuccino, add sugar yourself but I won’t ruin a perfectly good drink!

The same goes for simple coffee. The next person who snaps at me for giving them coffee that is too hot will hear me say, “No SH**! It’s supposed to be hot!” It’s morons like that who sue fast-food restaurants so they have to place “Warning! Contents Hot!” labels on their cups!

How can you not be defensive when someone corrects you even thought THEY are wrong? Sure our justification by faith helps us to confess our sins but what if our “sins” aren’t really sins, but their mistake?

Lust as Justifier

The fact is there are a lot of fine looking women who come to a coffee shop. In the morning, when they step in our store, they have probably just finished putting the finishing touches of makeup and hair spray. Speciality coffee being a niche business, these women are usually educated and well off. They are typically dressed very professionally, but still feminine, in their tight, black suit. I’ve got to stop thinking about it.

Needless to say, our male customers (and employees) can’t help but notice these beautiful women. It’s no surprise to you that comments about these women are inevitable- even if they aren’t audible.

Why do we do this? We’re not telling these women how we feel- so what do we hope to accomplish? Why do we talk about these beautiful women with our guy-friends?

Coffee’s Snob Factor

There’s a real snob factor that is inherit in coffee shops. For one, there’s the use of Italian names for drinks- cappuccino and latte- where it would just be simpler to say, “espresso with foamed milk” or “espresso with steamed milk.” Even with simple coffee there can be a real snobbery- some people ask for flavored coffees while others lift their noses to them, preferring to find a favorite blend or geographical location. Some coffee companies even use Italian words to denote their sizes- correcting you when you say, “medium” instead of their word.

Why all the snobbery? I think it gives these simple drinks an exotic flair. With these terms and other snobbery, you are drawn into a special circle. Once you are drawn into the circle, not only is the drink something out-of-the-ordinary, but you are as well.

The affect of all this is an ingroup-outgroup mentality. People who have mastered the coffee shop lingo are in the know; they are part of an elite group of people who know what they are ordering. Consequently, they can now look down on the “others” who don’t know the difference between a latte or cappuccino, drink flavored coffee, or use proletariat English to order their desired size of drink.

Friendship Justification (part 1)

An important part of the coffee shop experience is developing a report with the customers. We’re not just trying to give people their daily dose of caffeine- we want to create an ambiance around the shop and that starts with customer relations.

Friendship Justification (part 2)

There is another way we justify ourselves using our friends and it is nearly the opposite of the first way. Whereas in the previous way we changed our apparent positions so people wouldn’t write us off, the other way is to only surround ourselves with people we agree with.

Guilt by Association

I started working at the coffee shop in a very difficult time in my life. I had just been fired from a job that I had poured my entire being into over the last couple of years, made many sacrifices for, and tied a lot of self-worth to. Needless to say I was very depressed and discouraged- what used to be a matter of pride, that proved I was lovable, had been ripped away from me.

Rather than take the opportunity embrace Christ in my spiritual poverty, I found myself searching for anything else that might be able to justify me (this is why I have so many examples of false-justification in my coffee shop experience). One of the most violent ways I hoped to accomplish this was at the expense of other people.

Monty Python: The Bishop

http://www.pistolwimp.com/media/47047/

One of the most difficult things to do in apologetics is to actually listen. Supposedly Van Til tried to encourage this by teaching his students to “always buy the next cup of coffee” but we haven’t been listening.

Part of listening includes listening to our culture- so much can be learned by watching TV, movies, or listening to music. Here’s an example from a Monty Python sketch: The Bishop.