Selfish Joys

​In the last few years I have...well...I've become a coffee snob. It's something I'm not proud of...well, maybe I am proud of it right at that moment I take that first sip of fresh ground and brewed coffee. Like, I don't want to complain about other coffee, but making fresh coffee from well roasted beans is just SOOOOOO good. 
 
And then, a couple of weeks ago, this happened: I begged a friend to help out with a project early on a weekend morning and bribed him with coffee.  He responded, "Good! because you've NEVER offered to make coffee for me before."  He was serious, and I was thrown back. I wanted to argue, no way could that be true, I make coffee all the time and offer it to....oh, no one. He was right, I made it for me and me alone. 

I've been reflecting on this revelation for weeks now and tried to see if it's common in other things I do. There are bands that I like but I don't bother others with their music because I don't want them to reject my favorite music. Or there are places I like to eat because it's like a hidden gem and I don't alert others to this great place. I can be selfish with the things I enjoy....But aren't these all things that are meant to be shared and enjoyed? 
 
I've also reflected on this in my faith. I'm sure many others are like this, too. Your faith is VERY important to you, but how often do you share it. And I'm not talking about converting people to it, because that feels like a sales pitch. But how often do you share the meaning and impact that your faith has...just on a relational level...with that kind of smile you can't hold back and the vulnerability that almost feels embarrassing? 
 
Faith is personal, but it grows in community. It is met with other experiences, it calls us to learn and explore deeper. So, I'm making coffee for other more now. I'm not kidding, the beans are ready in my office. But over that cup of coffee, let's share that faith experience, too. Let's not let the grace of God be a selfishly kept secret.