Friday, January 16, 2009

What's Taller than Tall?

I'm in Portland, Oregon this weekend preparing to speak at a conference on the reliability of the New Testament. After getting my meeting room set up, Neil Mammen and I went to Starbucks for some hot chocolate. I've only gone to Starbucks a few times, but I think I'm begining to catch the bug. When I finally made my way to the front counter, I was greeted with a smile and asked the following question:

Starbucks Girl: "can I help you?"
Me: "Sure, can I please have a regular hot chocolate?"
Starbucks Girl: "What size would you like?"
Me: "I'll have a large one."
Starbucks Girl: "well would you like a grande?"
Me: "How big is a Grande?"
Starbucks Girl: "It is a medium"
Me: No, I would like a Tall one"
Starbuck Girl: "The tall is smaller than the Grande"
Me: "But isn't the Grande large?"
SG: "No it's a medium"
Me: "Well then, how tall is a tall?"
SG: "Small"
Me: "And whats Taller than a Tall?"
SG: "A Grande"
ME: "But that's only a medium"
SG: "Correct"
Me: "Well is there anything Grander than a Grande?"
SG: Yes, A Venti"

By this time I felt like I was being "Punked on Candid Camera," so I asked her to please hold up each size so that I can see which was which. By this time everyone behind me in line was laughing at me. The problem was this, until I was able to see the cups and compare their sizes, I was unable to determine what was tall, medium or large. I had to see the standard by which she measured the sizes. It's funny, in life, there are many things we call good, bad, right, wrong, crooked and straight. We say that one action or behavior is "better" than another, there seems to be a standard out there by which we are able to make those judgements and that ulitimate standard is God!

Just something to think about the next time you go to order your Double shot, decaf, extra hot, no foam, venti carmel maccioto, blended milk.

6 comments:

RC Metcalf said...

Great analogy, Shawn! Starbucks is obviously one of those postmodern coffee shops where relativism rules... Say "Hey!" to Neil for me!
Blessings, RC

Spdzgrl said...

Thank you for your blog...I too had the same issue my first time ordering a Hot Carmel Apple Cider. Your analogy is perfect and stresses the fact that if we are not aware of the standard…how can we determine how we should live (or order at Starbucks, LOL). God’s standard has been graciously given to all of us so that man is without excuse.

spicher said...

This story is precisely why people should not support the McDonald's of coffee. Push button one and get a Latte; for a Cappuccino, push button two. Cheap coffee being sold as some sort of gourmet dream. The only thing Starbucks is good at is marketing.

Sorry Shawn, but you should know that Leroy Green wouldn't support an evil empire.

"The truth will be revealed only to eyes unclouded by desire [and stomachs unfilled with bad coffee]."

I'm off my soap box now. I thought I would invade your blog, mainly to say "hi."

Shawn Hayes said...

So are you saying that Leroy would "just directa his feetza to Daddy Green's pizza?" I'm sure there is something you might find "beautiful" about Starbucks?

spicher said...

Maybe its destruction. If, as Graham Greene wrote, "Destruction is a form of creation."

I see Sho'nuff as a 'type' of Starbucks. Thinking he is the prettiest, but he's no master. Starbucks is a cohort of Eddie Arcadian. And in the end, his lesser coffee arts cannot compete with someone who catches bullets in his teeth.

You read that correctly, "Catches bullets in his teeth!!!!"

Dr. House said...

Amazing and helpful illustration about the nature of discerning truth. One must look at a standard.