Keep the Change

Can we expect a generous tip if we serve the Lord faithfully?

In a recent The New York Times article, Ben Casselman discusses how tipping has permeated more aspects of our society than ever before. Tipping, once reserved for certain industries, is now an expectation in places we would never imagine, like coffee shops, fast food joints, self-service checkout, take-out and even retail stores. People are tired of dishing out a gratuity for a grande latte decorated with a leaf in the foam.

Tipping is a reward — a small acknowledgment of service rendered. But what if tipping, as Casselman discusses it, were just a reflection of something deeper? What if it pointed to a spiritual truth?

In Revelation 22, we see a different type of reward. As Jesus promises in verse 12, “See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work” (emphasis added). “To repay.” “According to everyone’s work.” These are expressions that Protestants with their sola fidei mentality may not like...