The Bill is Paid. But What About the Tip?

My Tip Theory

You ever notice how you tip different depending on the service?

Same meal. Same restaurant. Same price.

But the way that server moves…

How they treat you…

Whether they show up with joy or just go through the motions…

That changes how much extra you put on top of the bill.

When you get excellent service you are happy to give extra aren’t you?

Conversely, when you get horrible service, the server gets the bare minimum or no tip at all.

The Divine Diner

Let me paint a picture:

God walks into the same diner every day. He's the regular customer who never misses a visit. Orders the same meal every time.

The server (that's you and me) accepts the table. We're assigned. Clocked in. Ready.

God sits down, orders His meal, and something beautiful happens: He pays the bill before the food even arrives.

"It is finished," Jesus declared from the cross (John 19:30). The meal (our salvation) is fully paid for. No payment plan. No installments. No debt remaining.

But here's where it gets interesting: God doesn't just pay the bill and leave. He stays. He watches. He evaluates how you serve the other tables.

Some days we serve with gratitude: refilling His water without being asked, bringing extra bread, checking on Him with genuine care. Some days we grumble through our shift: slamming plates, forgetting requests, serving with an attitude. Some days we barely acknowledge He's there.

But this regular customer? He's generous with His tips.

The question is: What kind of service are we giving?

Because the tip (our blessings in this life) depends entirely on how we serve.

The Parable of the Tips

Jesus told us exactly how this works in Matthew 25:14-30. Three servants. Same Master. Different amounts entrusted to them based on their ability.

The first servant took his five talents and doubled them. The second took his two talents and doubled them. The third buried his one talent in fear.

When the Master returned, He didn't just acknowledge their service—He tipped them.

To the faithful servants: "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"

That's the tip. More responsibility. Greater joy. Deeper intimacy with the Master.

But the fearful servant who buried his talent? No tip. In fact, what little he had was taken away.

The tip isn't based on results—it's based on heart.

The tip isn't about perfection—it's about faithfulness.

The tip isn't earned through performance—it's received through joyful service.

The Heart Behind the Service

Here's where it gets beautiful:

God doesn't tip us because He has to. He tips us because He delights in generous servants.

Proverbs 11:25 says: "A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed."

That's the divine tip system. When we serve with joy, we get joy back—multiplied. When we bless others, we get blessed—pressed down, shaken together, running over (Luke 6:38).

But here's the key: It's not about the external circumstances.

Paul understood this in Philippians 4:11-13: "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances... I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

Paul got tipped with contentment.

With peace that passes understanding.

With strength in weakness.

With joy in suffering.

The world saw prison chains. Paul felt divine tips.

Two Kinds of Servers

Let's be real about how this plays out:

The Grudging Server: Shows up because they have to. Complains about difficult customers (difficult people). Blames the kitchen when orders are wrong (blames God when life gets hard). Sees every challenge as happening TO them. Gets the minimum tip—survival, but no abundance.

The Joyful Server: Shows up with anticipation. Sees difficult customers as opportunities to shine. Trusts the kitchen even when orders seem delayed (trusts God's timing). Sees every challenge as happening FOR them—for growth, for testimony, for strength. Gets the maximum tip—joy, peace, favor, and open doors.

Joseph is the perfect example. Sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused, thrown in prison. But he served with faithfulness in every situation. His tip? He became second in command of Egypt and saved nations from famine.

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good" (Genesis 50:20).

That's a server who understands the tip system.

Your Tip Depends on Your Service

Here's your reality check for today:

The bill is paid. Your salvation is secure. But your tip—your daily portion of joy, peace, favor, and blessing—that depends on how you serve.

Are you serving with gratitude or grumbling? Are you seeing trials as FOR you or TO you? Are you trusting the Master's timing or demanding your own? Are you refreshing others or draining them?

James 1:2-4 puts it perfectly: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance... so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

That's tip language. The trial isn't the punishment—it's the setup for the tip.

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The Eternal Tip System

Here's the beautiful mystery:

When we serve with joy—especially when it's hard—we don't just get tips. We become tip magnets.

"Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4).

That's not prosperity gospel—that's what I call Tip Theology.

Serve with delight, receive divine desires.

Serve with joy, receive supernatural joy. Serve with faithfulness, receive exponential faithfulness.

The bill is paid. That's grace. But the tip? That's determined by how we serve.

Let today's service position you for tomorrow's tip. Let your joyful heart in hard times become your testimony of God's faithfulness.

Because the truth is this: God loves to tip generous servers.

That’s it for today

keep JOY, live Disciplined

P.S. Almost 2 months since I dropped my first gospel hip-hop album. It’s nearing 2K streams, and I just had my first live show 🙏🏾

People keep telling me it’s helping them reconnect with God—that’s all I needed to hear.

If you haven’t heard it yet, it’s called The Offering. Give it a listen, share it, or just pray it reaches the right ears: The Offering

Appreciate you either way.