God-Garbage-Gift: How do you Treat Caffeine?

 
Steve Hoppe | Oct 9, 2017

In an extract from his book Sipping Saltwater, Steve Hoppe outlines the three ways that we treat the things of God's creation, using caffeine as an example. The purpose of this brief chapter is to explain the structure of the next eight chapters using the structure of god-garbage-gift. 

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

—1 Timothy 4:4

God-garbage-gift. These are three ways we commonly treat any form of saltwater.  We can swing the pendulum one direction and idolize it, turning it into a god.  We can swing the pendulum to the opposite extreme and demonize it, turning it into garbage. Or we can use it as God intended and treat it as a gift from above. In all three instances, we’re placing our hope in something. In the first, we’re placing our hope in the saltwater itself. In the second, we’re placing our hope in avoiding the saltwater. In the third, we’re placing our hope in the giver of the saltwater—Jesus Christ.   

As an illustration, let’s look at the saltwater of caffeine. 

Candice is a coffee addict. She’s harsh towards her family before her morning cup. She stops into Starbucks three times a day and orders a venti americano with five shots of espresso. Five. Her monthly coffee budget triples her car payment. She can’t function without caffeine. It’s her god. 

Stephanie avoids caffeine at all costs. She won’t consume it because she believes it makes her body tainted in God’s eyes. While she admits this self-imposed prohibition may seem excessive to an outsider, she believes there’s a special blessing awaiting her in heaven if she abstains. So she self-righteously restricts herself. She’s turned caffeine into garbage. In doing so, she’s worshipping the false god of a chemical-free body.

Mary’s a Christian. During the week she limits herself to two daily cups of coffee—one before work and one after lunch. On Saturday morning she adds a bonus drink. She treats herself to a 7-11 Big Gulp—a calculated mix of fountain Cherry Coke and Diet Coke. A litre of carbonated and caffeinated glory. As soon as the elongated red plastic straw hits her lips, she smiles cheek to cheek with a gleeful chuckle and a “Thank you, Jesus!” Within an hour, the drink’s gone. And her day continues. To Mary, caffeine’s a gift from God. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Three women. Three different responses to caffeine. Candice treats it as a god. Stephanie treats it as garbage. Mary treats it as a gift from God. 

God-garbage-gift. How do you treat saltwater?

 

Each of the subsequent eight chapters follows this same format: god-garbage-gift. Steve Hoppe tackles eight forms of saltwater to show how we can treat each as a god, demonize each as garbage, or worship God for giving each as a gift. 

Steve Hoppe's Book, Sipping Saltwater, is available here 

Steve Hoppe

Steve Hoppe was born in Chicago and educated at the University of Illinois, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. He has served in urban ministry for over a decade and is currently a pastor, counselor, author, and speaker with Park Community Church in Chicago. Steve is married to his best friend Abby.