A tip about tipping …

Throughout my career, I’ve had many meetings over meals.

Whether it was a breakfast meeting, discussion over coffee, a lunch gathering, or business over dinner, I’ve had all kinds of encounters in settings where food was served.

When possible, it was a joy for me to pick up the tab for these appointments. One person I met with regularly for a period of time always insisted he leave a tip. I explained to him there was no need to do so, I had included a tip in the payment of the bill. Still, he maintained he must contribute something.

Isn’t that how we often respond to God’s ransom of us?

The cost for sin was so steep, none of us could pay the bill. In fact, the debt was so staggering, we had no means of even making a contribution toward its payment. So God paid the bill for us through Jesus Christ.

“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God,” 1 Peter 1:18-19.

“For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins,” Colossians 1:13-14.

Even though Jesus has paid the price of our sin for us, some still try to “tip” God in a vain effort to feel as though they contributed something toward their old debt. But there is nothing we can contribute to the cross; no way we can refund part of the cost Christ paid for us.

The bill has been settled, don’t try to leave a tip.

Scotty