How Much Should Christians Tip For Service?

I recently read an admonishment from two good-intentioned souls to their fellow Christians concerning the fact that we, as a group, are notorious for being very poor tippers.  The conclusion from each of them was that we should change this tragic reputation and instead become VERY generous in that extra amount of money we pay on top of our restaurant bill, even if the server is having a bad day.  The theological foundation behind this exhortation is basically that God gives us much that we do not deserve, and tipping is a means to draw Non-believers inadvertently to Christianity.

Those who know me have already guessed that I have some (grave) arguments against this perceived doctrine, but first I have to humbly admit a few things.  Working for four years in the restaurant industry myself as a server, I can say that Sundays really can be the dreaded day of the week for waitpersons financially, even though it is usually the most crowded.  For me, there were always inevitable large groups of people at lunchtime, dressed up in their Sunday best who took up tables for hours, were very smiley and polite, although demanding, and generally left a large mess with a very small bill and an even more meager tip.

There were always welcomed exceptions, but the commonality of the situation was enough to make anyone steer clear of that church or religion for eternity.  Furthermore, I’ve been to enough churches and small groups to be able to confidently state that this empty, outward show sadly typifies us as a whole community.  But I am getting off the subject.

About tipping for service, further research on my part proved that even Non-Christians agree that tipping etiquette for all kinds of service involves great generosity and if we can not afford it then, well we should stay home (and, I assume, not receive anything from anyone).  If the person serving us is doing a poor job, complaints should be addressed to the management rather than affronted to the tip.  Also, waitperson staff is expected by their employers to receive a certain amount of wages in tips and this amount is reported on tax forms.  This means that not only do service people depend on tips for their livelihood, but they pay taxes for them as well.

But what is the purpose of the tip?  It seems to have become one with the wage and the customer can not help but feel a little bit cheated in this respect.  I have to admit that paying extra charges at a checkout is no fun for me personally.  In my reconciled mind, there is a specific amount that I have agreed to pay for a certain item, only to find out that it can be up to twice the original amount after paying for shipping, handling, sales tax, or state tax.  And restaurants are not entirely different.  I would much rather know the whole deal in the beginning rather than try to figure out and then approximate (usually round way up) the extra percentage.  But maybe that is only because I failed Algebra 2 in tenth grade.

Still, if a tip really were a tip for service, it would add much more fun, and meaning, to the equation.  A good tip does not signify anything unless I possess the freedom, as well as exercise this freedom, to leave a low tip.  To emphatically imply that we must always leave a high amount, as good and dutiful citizens to the rest of mankind is forgetting the condition of cause and effect, or in other words, what one gets is also what one deserves.

From experience I can say that it is all too easy as a Christian to emphasize one valuable truth over another so much so that we exclude the other.  To say that all Christians should always tip generously is, in my view, crossing the border of legalism.  The Bible contains many absolute statements, but the requirement of high tipping is not one of them.  Also, to live under the burden of a law is to remove the joy of obeying that law.  It is only with the presence of options that we can will one way or another.

What is the point of mercy without justice?  While Christians will receive undeserved mercy upon entering heaven, meaning that we will not be punished for our sins, the price for our sins still had to be paid for, by Someone.  This was a steep and painful price, because sin tortures people....  Plus, although forgiven, we will still stand before a judgment seat to either receive or not receive just rewards for our works while we were on earth.

Therefore, as we would like for God to treat us, and as He does treat us, so we can also treat each other.  Gifts and compliments will only gain in value if things are seen for what they are – whether good, bad or a sway toward one or the other.  The accepted 15%-20% tip for a restaurant meal in America is the standard on which our freedom stands, for all liberties require a criterion from which to be measured.  We are free to not only to give appropriately within that range, but also more or less, depending on what is believed to be due.  Beliefs are based both on an objective standard as well as a subjective desire, and ultimately our beliefs will reflect in our tipping.  It’s in the Bible.