Starbucks is not perfect, and that's why God is

   While working in the drive-through window at Starbucks this weekend, I've been meditating on 1 John 4:18,

"Perfect love casts out all fear." 

    During the rush period between 9:00 and 11:00 I hand out coffee to almost 200 people in an hour.  I get only seconds with each person, yet our brief interactions have been teaching me about the heart-questions each person brings to the window. 

   Some people are rushed, they pull up to the window and thrust their debit card at me with a frantic smile, hurriedly crumple their receipt and pull away as soon as their coffee is in hand.  Others are distracted and anxious, their conversation is brief and clipped, they stare off into space as I collect their change.  The ones that really amuse me are the mistrustful customers who, while eyeing me suspiciously, have to peel off their straw wrapper, pop their straw into their drink, take a long pull and then smack their lips to make sure their drink is perfect before they drive away. 

   All these people have questions in their heart that they are asking in every circumstance in their lives.  I imagine that some of the hurried customers are asking "Is my life under control?" or "Will I still be accepted and loved even if I'm not on time?"  Maybe the mistrustful customers are asking, "Will anything in my world work if I don't make sure its working?"  We all have deep heart-questions that define how we operate when our coffee is late or not exactly as we ordered it. When I see people flip out, its not really because their coffee isn't perfect, its because there is fear deep in their hearts that is being tweaked by their circumstances.

   This is where perfect love comes in.  If we look at our life honestly, there is no way we can always control what is going on, be liked by everyone, or have an easy life.  These idols are meaningless, fragile, and they cause us to come unglued when they aren't being met.  Perfect love, given freely by a perfect God who has done everything to redeem us into his family, is the only constant.  Jesus answers all of our deep heart-questions with his love. The hurried one asks, "Is my life under control?" and Jesus answers, "I am working everything together for your good, because I love you and I have called you into my beautiful purpose."  The mistrustful one asks "Will anyone care for my needs if I don't?"  and Jesus answers, "I have given my life for you, to adopt you into my family. I am a good Daddy."   Being centered on the unfailing absolute of God's love is the only way we can remain unflappable in a world of imperfect Starbucks beverages.