A Free Cup of Coffee

This morning I got up early and went to Starbucks to get some work done. As I went up to the counter to order a cup of coffee, a woman entered and took her place behind me in line. I turned to her and said, "Will you let me buy your cup of coffee today? This one is on me!" She responded, "No thanks." Thinking that I must have somehow failed to communicate correctly, I responded back to her, "No really, I'd like to pay for your coffee today--no strings attached." She stood her ground, "Nope, no thanks." I conceded, ordered and paid for my drink, and then watched her get out her cash and pay for her own.

What in the world would cause someone to reject something free? And by the way, this woman was much older than me. There is absolutely NO WAY she could have thought that I was hitting on her. This woman flat out rejected a free cup of coffee and insisted on paying for her own. What's up with that? Was it because of pride? Most people would rather give than receive. And it's not because they are generous. They just don't like to be considered a charity case. Was it because she felt like she had to pay me back? Some people have trouble receiving because they will feel indebted to other person. They feel like they have to show a similar act of generosity in return at a later point in time. Who knows what the exact reason was for this woman rejecting a free cup of coffee? I don't. But I think it is clear that this woman has a hard time receiving. And that got me thinking.

What if her inability to receive is actually reflective of my inability to receive and your inability to receive? I believe that God wants what's best for us. He wants to extend his love to us every moment of the day. And perhaps the biggest thing that stands in the way of our experiencing God's love is that we really aren't willing to receive it. One of the craziest things in the world is to encounter someone who hears the good news and responds, "No thanks." I can imagine God saying in response, "No really, this one is on me. I am serious! I paid the price for you. You don't owe me anything in return. Just accept this free gift." Maybe we say "No thanks" to God more than we really realize.