Ethics: Leaving a Gospel Tract for a Tip

Should we even have to have this discussion???? This is Christianity 101 people. Come on! If we have to wonder about this then are we really His children?????

And I might add that there are other workers who depend on tips: busboys at hotels and porters at airports. And tour guides are often working a summer job and, though they make minimum wage, really appreciate a tip, especially if there are people on the tour (small, screaming children, for example) that make the tour unpleasant. I speak from experience, as I am a tour guide in the summer.

What can I add? A reminder that Christians do indeed have a bad rap with waiters as being stingy on tips. At least 15% at a casual place like Denny's, 20% otherwise. Most people don't realize that table servers only make about $3-4 an hour at small restaurants, and depend on tips for the rest of their income.

And make sure you are as polite and kind to the server as you would to your mother-in-law at Thanksgiving, or your service will be terrible.

MAke it right with the waitress and give her a bigger tip than normal. Don't use that style of track again. Use a track that just explains the gospel as it should be given, or give it to her verbally yourself...just my thoughts. Not being judgmental or unkind.

To whomever keeps coming over to my blog from here - THANKS very much! Hope it's a blessing!

"Never Fail - What I mean by that, is fail a lot!"

http://i-never-fail.blogspot.com

I'm much more in favor of geting to know a person and then speaking Christ into their need, their brokeness, their pain (everyone has some).

I'm with Squirrel on this one.

From 1 Peter 2:

"Let your behavior among the pagans be such that when they accuse you of doing wrong they will see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

"For it is the will of God that by your good deeds you might silence the ignorant words of foolish men."

"tract"

Q: It’s nice that everyone here agrees, but this stuff is happening somewhere so where are the people leaving these kinds of “tips”?

A: On the ground, out side of a business. Some place where someone can find it.

FAKE money should NEVER be left as a tip -- even with a real tip. I don't like the whole money tact thing anyway. How about talking to the waiter/waitress if the Lord allows.

You all are being too kind to your friend. I'd make him go back in and give her a tip personally. Short of that, I'd go give it to her myself, and then tell her it'd still be a good idea to read it if she isn't too offended.

Thanks to Squirrel for such a good answer right off the bat. I appreciate the thoughts given and Howell's kind words. (OK, what's he fishing for?) ;)

I would be tempted to pull my friend back inside so he can apologize himself. I don't like the idea of leaving a fake money tract even along with real money for a tip.

It's nice that everyone here agrees, but this stuff is happening somewhere so where are the people leaving these kinds of "tips"?

[Squirrel makes a note to never eat out with Dave Miller... or, at least, to disarm him, first...]

Not sure what I'd do, but I am sure that leaving a faux tip in the form of a gospel tract that looks like money is NOT sufficient. Yes, leave the tract, but then leave money to reinforce the generosity & faith of those who trust in the Lord. The waiter/waitress would likely not even look at the tract if he or she got stiffed on their tip.

Shoot your friend!!

Mark,

You always have such interesting Ethics questions on Wednesdays. Even though I don't always comment, I do enjoy them. I, too, agree with Squirrel. If you are going to leave a gospel tract, then by all means, leave an overly generous tip. Christians get a bad rap because of well-meaning, but ultimately stupid, behavior such as this. Southern Baptists have a particularly bad reputation when it comes to tipping during Conventions. Hopefully New Orleans will be different. Thanks again and have a great day. God bless,

Howell

Squirrel is right but FIRST I would ask my friend, "In what freakin universe would that be a good idea?"

Basically only bring out your tracts-that-look-like-money when the only other option are chick tracts.

Then I would go on with the "gentle" conversation.

Like so many others, I'd say if you're going to leave a tract, leave it with a very generous tip. If you or your friend only leaves a tract, then then apologize and give generously (Maybe say, "Hey, my friend forgot to leave this, but I wanted to make sure you had it—sorry about that"—that way you're not throwing your friend under the bus)

I'm going to have to agree with Squirrel 100% on that one.

As an associate pastor(unpaid) and a waiter(paid), I know what it's like to receive a tract as a tip. I know what it's like when my coworkers receive one as a tip. It's nothing new to get these. Christians need to remember that. It is a great tool to spread the gospel, but when you short the waiter's way to earn a living, you're hurting the cause. It just pisses them off. The tract goes into the trash and is not read. We're supposed to give and give abundantly as Christians. Drop a 25% tip on top of the tract...money does speak loudly for servers. If you give then they will be more receptive.

If you say that the gospel and Jesus' love is the greatest tip ever, you're right but not for unbelievers. And talk to the waiter about Jesus first. If your rude and cheap, you get nowhere. Love the waiter and be a great witness...and tipper.

I vote with squirrel here (and disavow any accusations of voting on a secret rapture :P).

I see nothing wrong with leaving a tasteful, GOOD, gospel tract along with a real tip. The fake $10 ones can be good for icebreaking and talking with folks on the street, but when it could be confused for a moment with real money during a legitimate business transaction, it's tasteless and rude.

I vote for: Go back inside and personally hand the waitress a real tip and apologize.

But I would also have a long conversation with my friend - gently - about how being a Christian means striving to be exemplary in everything we do, and that Christians should be the absolute best, most understand, most forgiving, most generous customers that waiter or waitress ever has.

Squirrel