Lesson Learned from Starbucks Drive Through

“But in humility regard others as better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).

Of course there’s a long line of cars at the Starbucks drive through.

Ugh.

Come on. If you would just pull up a little more I can get my order in.

Ever been there before?

And then, to make things even more irritating, after getting her coffee, she took extra time to put money on her Starbucks account. She had to get her cash from her purse then get her phone to scan the app again. I was thinking not nice things about the person in front of me.

Finally! She was done with her transaction and drove off.

I opened up my Starbucks app to pay for my order when the drive through cashier told me the lady in front of me paid for my entire order! Normally, when I go to Starbucks I order the drip coffee. But that day, I went to Starbucks for my family. We ordered a lot. The reason why the lady had to put extra money on her account was because of my order.

Ugh! I felt like such an idiot!

Here was the pastor Christian guy, the guy who’s supposed to be practicing peace and kindness. And instead was thinking ill thoughts of a total stranger who went out of her way to be kind to me.

So, dear lady who was in the car ahead of me at the Starbucks drive through…I am sorry for making snap judgments about you. Thank you for your kindness and teaching me the valuable lesson of not making quick judgments and about being kind. I want you to know that your kindness taught me to be kind toward others. Thank you for setting such a fantastic example for this pastor Christian guy.

Oh. P.S. I paid forward your kindness. I paid for the car behind me.

God, forgive me. Forgive my snap judgments. And please bless the lady that was in the car ahead of me.