The Gospel and Starbucks Cups

I want to say thank you to all those who have been reading my blog and giving me positive feedback and encouragement.  I am so grateful for all those who take the time to read and continue to encourage your comments and feedback and input on the blog.  My goal for this blog is to encourage biblical thinking and help those who read it draw closer to Christ.  I strive to keep it positive and uplifting.  And I hope that today's blog will be no different, but I want to address something that I have seen recently that concerns me.
Within the last few days and weeks a story broke regarding Starbuck's cups for the Christmas Season.  Apparently some people are upset that the cups are simply red and have no symbolism on them whatsoever.  I have seen angry Facebook posts and calls to boycott Starbucks all because of the lack of symbolism. 
My initial response to this was disbelief that people who claim the name of Christ would become so antagonistic toward a secular organization for the failure of the secular organization to share their values, but I wanted to research the issue a little deeper before developing a response and so I looked at previous years cups.  In previous years, Starbucks has had designs on the cups such as reindeer and floral patters but I have not yet found a cup that had the gospel printed on it.  Which leads me to my response.
First and foremost, when we read the Scriptures, we should remember that the world in which we live is in rebellion against God.  This is true.  And this should indeed bother us.  But it should not drive us to boycotts and anger, it should drive us toward the gospel and our need to preach the gospel to every creature that God gives opportunity to.  I think of Paul in the city of Athens in Acts 17.  When he went through the city he saw all sorts of idols; instead of bemoaning that Athens was pagan and secular and should be Christian, he instead preached the gospel, using the idol to the unknown god as a launching point to introduce the gospel to the culture around.  I think of Christ who had more to say to the Pharisees and other religious leaders than He did to the pagan culture around the nation of Israel.  So the rebellion of the world is a problem, I do not deny this. But the biblical response to the rebellion of the world is ALWAYS the GOSPEL. 
Secondly, I think that the responses that I have seen reveal to us our lack of proper priorities.   We see a cup that does not have enough religious symbolism on it and we get up in arms, but we respond with apathy to the problems of genuine need around us.  We ignore the sanctity of life issues that seem to become more and more prominent, and we sit back and say nothing while the world around us redefines sexuality and the family.  And this is to say nothing of the way which we use the resources that God gives us.  James defines true religion as visiting those in distress and keeping oneself unstained by the world.  (James 1:27)  Sadly, when I stamp my feet and cry and moan when secular organizations do not share my values I am drawing all the attention to myself and becoming stained by a world that wants me to think that life is all about me.  And when I am stained by the world in this way, I lose my impact on the very people I am hoping Christ can change. 
If you are one of those who are upset over the secularization of the world around us, please understand that I too am bothered by the directions that our world is heading.  But also remember that this is not a surprise, and that it will get worse before it gets better.  So, before you hit enter and that Facebook post goes up on your wall, ask yourself what your friends who do not know the Lord will think of your post.  Will it help you reach them with the gospel?  Will you be able to preach Christ better because of what you have said?  Does your response adequately reflect the priorities that the Scriptures tell us that we should have?
Perhaps the best response is to buy a cup of coffee for an unsaved friend (even if it is at Starbucks) and talk to them about why Christmas means so much to you and share with them of your Savior whose birth we celebrate.