I know a guy who used to love beer.

I mean he really loved it, even to the degree that he was able to debate which lager and ale was the best. So one of his hobbies was to go to the local bar and order a new type of brew everyday.

He considered himself a connoisseur.

His normal routine would be to get off work at 5:00 and drive to the local pub. He would then sit down at the third barstool from the right, take off his coat, rub his hands and say, “Okay, what should I try today?” The bartender would give him a few suggestions, he would chew over it, and then he would order whatever struck his fancy. More times than not the bartender’s suggestion was ignored. 

Over time the old bartender quit answering and waited patiently for the man to order. But the more the man came in and acted the part of expert, the bartender got more and more frustrated, until one day he said, “Sir, I don’t have time to entertain you or listen to your silly opinions on beer, just order something and shut-up already!”

The man did not like the attitude from the bartender at all. Oh no, not at all! So the man made a vow to never go to that bar again. And to make the bartender feel the full wrath of his displeasure he vowed to himself that he will never drink another beer again. He quit drinking cold turkey!

One of his friends came over to his house and found him pouring out his favorite dark stout flavors into the sink. He was shocked and asked, “Hey, what are you doing? I thought you loved beer?”

“I used to until that bartender made me so mad I quit!”

Sure enough, the man never touched another beer again. He never went to another pub. And to this day he thinks bartenders and beer are the scourge of the earth. If it wasn’t for bartenders and beer this world would be a better place. All because a grumpy old bartender made him mad.

I know what you are thinking, this story cannot be true. No true beer lover would quit drinking over one surly bartender. No true beer lover would quit going to a pub just because someone made him mad. And if he didn’t like that one pub there are hundreds more to choose from. If a man really loves beer he would at least drink it at home. So this whole story is a big fat lie.

You know what – you are right. But let me tell you a story that is the complete truth…

I know a guy who used to love Christ. I mean really loved him, even to the degree that he went to church every Sunday and would discuss theology with his pastor and friends. So his normal routine was to sit on the third pew from the right. And after service he would tell the pastor where he was right and wrong. The pastor was kind most of the time, but one day the pastor made him mad.

So he quit God and church cold turkey! Now he no longer believes, the Bible is now a joke to him, and he sees pastors as rogue agents bent on ruining life for the man. I know a guy. In fact I know a hundred just like him. Come to think of it, people pay more respect to bartenders and beer than they ever do for God and the one who died on the cross to set them free from sin.

So pick up your beer and lets give a toast, “Cheers to bartenders and beers!”