So proud to be this gal's sister in Christ

I thought this was worth sharing. This lady on my Catholic board shared a story about a business that they run and how their employee was treated upon delivering an order to a customer. DH stands for 'dear husband'. I'd love to hear your input on this type of evangelizing...

Her post:

What do you think of giving bible tracts in lieu of tipping?

DH and I own a small pizza restaurant (non-franchise type) that offers dine-in, carry-out, and delivery service. Last night, one of our drivers showed me the "tip" he received from a customer.

Some of the responses were as follows:

Uh-uh. If someone wants to give that in addition to a tip, fine. But, don't bilk someone out of their tip, especially in today's economy. If you can't afford the tip, go and pick up the pizza yourself!

It is one thing to give in addition to the tip, but it should not be the tip itself.

tipping is part of a person's pay, to not tip is to deprive someone of a portion of their income. it would be great if people in food service made more money & tipping wasn't essential, but it is & to give a tract instead of tipping is something i completly oppose.

if they want to give it & tip fine, totally legit. but to not tip is just bad taste.

And here was her response to the tract.

>>But, what are you gonna do?<<

What DH and I did was compose a letter that we mailed to the customer with their bible tract. Would you like to hear what it said?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you so much for your order Friday night. I sincerely hope your meal exceeded your expectations. We take great pride in going above and beyond with our fresh ingredients, exquisite presentation, enthusiastic staff, and fast delivery.

I am returning the item you gave our delivery driver in lieu of a tip. As a good Catholic woman, I was apalled to see a religious tract deceptively designed to look like currency given in replacement of payment. (Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him. Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight. Leviticus 19:13)

Our drivers are hard working individuals with families who strive to give exceptional service. Their income is dependent upon the tips given them. (Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin. Deuteronomy 24:15) Would you deny payment to a man building you a house by saying that you had already paid for the building material? (What he toiled for he must give back uneaten; he will not enjoy the profit from his trading. For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute; he has seized houses he did not build. Surely he will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure. Job 20: 18-20)

The assumption that any of our employees are in need of reminder that Jesus died for their sins is both erroneous and insulting. You automatically assumed that the gentleman delivering your food was a heathen of some sort, and you denigrated his work by giving him a cheap deceptive stage prop instead of the tip he deserved. He cannot spend it, he cannot save it, he cannot give it to charity, and he does not need the message imprinted thereon. As a Christian, I am ashamed that such a practice is out there. (Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor. Jeremiah 22:13)

I am sending this letter today in the hopes that your heart is changed. To paraphrase an old priest of mine – Do not tell me you are a Christian. Let me figure it out for myself.

May God bless you and work in your life,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I seriously doubt that this will change this couple. But if it at least makes them pause before stealing someone else's income, I will feel it's worth it. I count it as a blow for the little guy.