Coffee, Christ & Unexpected Friendships

I was born 25 years ago in what was then a small town in central Indiana. Since then, most of my life has been spent in the company of Christians. From my family to my elementary school to my college, my environments were pretty much based on a belief in God and in Jesus, His Son.

But in the fall of 2004, the amount of time I spent in the company of Christians changed. I moved to a new city and found a job at a locally owned coffee shop, where I would spend the majority of my time. At first, I was intimidated a bit by the people I worked with, simply because I was different from them. However, I resolved to immerse myself into this place and into the lives of these people because that’s what Jesus did for the people of His time and place. It was almost an experiment to see if I could really do what I believed must be done in order for Jesus to be seen in this small life of mine.

The first time I met Bob was when I interviewed for my barista position. He was a little cranky at the time, and I later learned that I had been introduced to “surly Bob.” Two weeks passed before I worked with him. Like a lot of coffee shops, our later shifts were pretty slow. It was during these evenings that we began a most unexpected friendship.

It turned out Bob is a poet, a carpenter, and a student of spiritual things. Our early conversations would dive into writing, hip-hop, Jesus, astrology, human behavior, and Michael W. Smith. (One night in particular, we broke into our own rendition of “Place in This World,” which was quite possibly the absolutely worst duet in the history of music.)

Bob grew up in church but through his own study and thought processes decided that it “wasn’t his cup of tea.” Through a series of conversations while throwing darts and eating hot dogs, I came to understand his point of view, and he came to admire my conviction. Bob still needs to have a severe encounter with the living God, and I’ve told him so. But even if he doesn’t, he will remain my friend for a long time because I have finally learned that people are not projects. People are treasures.

These days, many people I consider friends don’t claim to follow Jesus - a complete turnaround from the way life used to be. I’ve found that we have more in common than not, more similarities than differences. What I have learned about Jesus through these relationships is more than I could learn from any book or sermon. I’ve learned that Jesus is a respecter of all persons. He loves Bob as much as He loves me. The same is true for all those I have come to know in the past year. I’ve always known it, but now I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it.

I’ve discovered in the past year and a half that I believed something most of my life that is not even true. Until recently, I had believed that there is an “us” and there is a “them.” There are the impure and the holy, the foolish and the wise, the sinners and the saints. And we who are good ought not to fraternize with those who aren’t good. However, my experiences of late speak a different word. There is only us, and we are every one loved by God.

I am the sinner and the saint. I am the wise and the foolish. I am the holy and the impure. It is not my responsibility to convince the world of who Jesus is so that they will join the “good side.” It is not my responsibility to shame others with a pious perfection. No, it is my responsibility to journey through this life with others in such a way that Jesus is present here and now with them. That through me, they might be loved and discover they are loved by Him. That everywhere I step would be an intersection between heaven and earth (a phrase coined by Alex McManus).

I’ve been told that I’m a “good Christian.” I’ve been told that my beliefs are intriguing. I’ve been told that I display well my trust in God. These are the observations of those who do not trust in Jesus. But they are drawn to Him because they know me. Because He can be seen in this small life of mine.