"Put Your Money Where Your Tract Is"

Recently I was talking to a supervisor with Valet Parking at the hospital and came to find out that he was a believer in Jesus Christ. We talked about the opportunities to witness when working with the public. This young man impressed me with his desire to make Christ known to the people that he came in contact with.

I gave him one of our “Steps to Peace With God” tracts and briefly showed him how to use it like Dennis Nunn taught us during our Spiritual Awakening services back in January. My new friend (let’s call him “Parker”) was encouraged when as I told him how so many of you are using these tracts to witness on a daily basis.

The tract reminded Parker of an incident that he had with a fellow believer. It seems that a gentleman had offered this young man a tract in lieu of a tip along with the advice, “this is the best tip you will ever get.”

“That had happened before,” Parker told me, “several times”.

We laughed for a minute as we talked about how some Christians tip the people who serve them. It is a well-known fact that waiters and waitresses hate working the Sunday lunch shift because “Christians” are notoriously bad tippers and sometimes leave tracts in lieu of tips.

Anyway—our conversation turned back to valet parking and the incident of the tract tipper. “I don’t know what came over me,” Parker said, “but I handed the tract back to the man and told him that I didn’t need it.”

“But young man,” the tract tipper said, “the best tip I can give you is in this tract. It explains how you can ask Jesus Christ to be your Savior”.

Parker explained to the tipper that he accepted Christ as his Savior four years ago and that he appreciated the fact that this man wanted others to know Jesus.

“But you are going about this the wrong way,” Parker told him. “I agreed with him that ‘follow Jesus’ is the best advice we can give anyone.”

“Then I pointed at the young guys working for me,” Parker continued, “these guys have a hard time paying rent and buying baby food with advice and tracts. It takes money for that. Tips are how they make a living. If you want them to listen to you, you need to tip them—and tip them generously.”

Parker told me that he wanted to tell the man to “put his money where his mouth was” but decided to leave it at “put your money where your tract is”.

“How did ‘Mr. Tract Tipper’ take your comments?”

“Well, he put the tract back in his pocket, kind of made an ‘umph’ sound and got in his car.”

“Did he give you a tip?” I asked.

“No, he didn’t. The last I saw of him was the fish symbol on his trunk as he drove out of the parking lot.”

Remember—tip your wait people well—always. Tip especially well on Sunday after church. In restaurants, go ahead and give them 20% and round up to the next dollar. Don’t be a tightwad. You’ll never miss the money.

If you ever use a valet, give him at least a couple of bucks and thank him for serving you. If you have an opportunity to give out a tract—do that AFTER you tip—it will be better received.

About the fish on the back of your car—remember it is there when you are driving. It’s there when you drive away from the valet, too.

Tip generously. It’s your testimony.

Pastor Ralph
March 2007 Newsletter Column
Bethesda Baptist Church
Durham, NC