Starbucks Corp. is telling its harried baristas to slow down—which may result in longer lines.
via online.wsj.com
An interesting article and, in many ways, a sign of the times. We're often in such a hurry for something good that the need to wait a few minutes for something better is pushed aside. One of the reasons I've begun forgoing Starbucks for more local places is for this very reason (well, along with wanting to support local folks). You walk into a Starbucks and you feel a little like you're lining up for Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi." There's no time to contemplate your order, no opportunity to chat with the barista a bit. Instead, you're in a place where the whoosh of the steamer, the beeping of other machines, and the frazzled hurry of the workers makes it less than inviting to stay awhile.
I applaud Starbucks for wanting to make the change, even if it means a few more minutes of waiting. I wonder, though, if there isn't some corollary to how we engage faith here as well. A lot of preaching has become a sort of instant, pithy, quick blush at Scripture in the midst of multiple services and people who just want their weekly (well, maybe weekly) shot of sweet, non-descript and non-challenging message to go.
I, for one, have been trying to go deeper than that. To sit with a text for awhile, to use a sermon series to really dig into a theological concept. I'd rather our worship services feel like a conversation with a friend rather than a quick exchange through a drive-thru window.
Here's to slowing down. After all, the best things come to those who wait!
Recent Comments