Signs

There it was...the sign was in a prominent place so that all of the patrons could see.

"No outside beverages allowed."

Borders is a friendly place, but they have rules. They are simple...."if you are going to read here, you have to buy our beverages." Seems simple to me.

Panera Bread doesn't have any signs like that, but they do have free wi-fi.

Their free wi-fi signal makes it possible for me to post today.

Here's the story.

I am sitting in one of my favorite writing spots and I saw it. I couldn't believe my eyes.

She walked into Panera Bread carrying a Starbucks coffee cup. She tried to defend herself to her colleague by saying, "I thought we were meeting at Starbucks this morning."

Think of it...a Starbucks coffee cup in a Panera Bread world.

Then it hit me. Hey, its coffee. Why do we get so worked up about the cup that it is in. It does seem strange to me that Borders has a sign that says, "no outside beverages allowed" and Panera doesn't.

I wonder if Borders has an "outside beverages" police? I wonder if Panera Bread cares?

It made me stop and think. Now I am not comparing Borders and Panera Bread. Don't get me wrong. If they were to shut down I would be lost. Well....not really, but I would experience an existential "lostness" without books and coffee.

Here's the thought.

I was thinking about the church I attend. Are we more concerned about "coffee" or "cups?" Do we have signs that say, "no outside (fill in the blank) allowed?"

Or do we just make people feel a sense of belonging.

There are times when I have felt like a "Starbucks Cup" in a "Panera Bread World." And there have been occasions when I have experienced the type of community that I experience when I walk into Panera Bread or Borders.

Here's one last sign that hangs behind the counter at Panera Bread. "Free wi-fi....and a comfortable, welcoming place to take advantage of it."

I want to hang a sign in the church that I attend that says, "free grace....and a comfortable, welcoming place to take advantage of it."

Pass the coffee...