There are two things you don't talk about unless you want people to get in an argument: politics and religion. Well, today I'm kind of going to talk about both. This isn't anything about who is right or who is wrong, but mainly about my perception of the people who supported candidates in this past election.
Tips are a big deal for a pizza guy. Almost any delivery driver conversation heard at a pizza place has to do with how much someone did or didn't tip them. It's common to judge a person by how much they tip. Notoriously bad tippers are scum in the eyes of most delivery drivers.
During the election season I delivered to an Obama supporter. I knew because their Volkswagen had an, "Obama, Biden 2012" sticker on the back. The house was in good shape and in a decent section of Mount Pleasant's Old Village. And the thought went through my head, "I wonder how much this Obama supporter is going to tip me?" I gave him the pizza and he gave me the money. I got a $6 and some odd cent tip. Immediately my perception of an Obama supporter changed. That was a really nice tip!
Later that weekend I delivered to a Romney supporter. I knew because they had a, "Romney, Ryan 2012" sign in their yard. This house was on affluent Daniel Island. The house was rather large and had a dog slobbering at the door. I remembered the Obama supporter from earlier and thought, "I wonder how the Romney guy will tip?" $6 was a big tip and it was going to be hard for this unsuspecting casestudy to top it. The sad part was he didn't even try. I almost got a $2 tip. Immediately I questioned my perception of a Romney supporter. That was a pretty low tip, and it happened at a nice house with an average sized pizza order.
I know those two instances were hardly scientific (as in not at all) and anecdotal. But they happened to me and affected my perception of not only those people, but also the people they supported. For some reason last weekend I was thinking about those two orders again, and all of a sudden I realized the point.
Side note: Did you know waiters hate working Sundays because Christians are so cheap?
As Christians we do things like order pizza. We have a cross on our door and scripture hanging from a flag outside our house. We get our pizzas and give the driver $2 on a $40 order. Do you know what that driver thinks? That Christian is a jerk. Then they don't just start questioning you, but they question who you believe in. When they check their runs in they might even think something like, "If that's a Christian, I don't want anything to do with that." And all that over a few bucks.
But seriously this has very little to do with pizza and tips and more to do with watching the way you treat people. I try to live by a rule (Ask my wife and she'll tell you I break it quite often) don't be a jerk. Remember who you represent when you read that Bible in public and wear that Christian T-shirt. Remember that you reflect who you support. I've heard it said that we're the only Jesus some will ever see. I understand the sentiment of the point, but if I'm the only Jesus they ever see that means they never came to know and follow the actual Jesus. When interacting with people remember you don't WANT to be the only Jesus people ever see. So treat them like God's creations. Treat them with the love and respect Jesus would.
