Hi,<\/p>\n
I work at a grocery store and am about to begin my training for a promotion. This promotion will involve various new tasks, such as closing the store, opening and working in customer service, handling cash, and, my main concern, working in our coffee and alcohol section. I personally do not drink and am learning about what the Bible has to say about alcohol.<\/p>\n
For some context on the section, it is not your typical bar. There are also smoothies and coffee there, and most people will grab a drink, do their shopping, and leave. It’s not mixing drinks or bartending; it’s more so handing someone a cup of wine or beer and leaving it there.<\/p>\n
My question is: Would it be okay to work in this section? I am leaning toward “no” because I don’t think I should put up that image, and that’s not for a performative reason, but to keep in mind how I represent myself as a Christian and how I bear the image of Christ.<\/p>\n
I was talking to someone about it, and they were saying how at the wedding, Jesus provided the wine. However, I am aware of the differences in the wine compared to today. This is still one point this person made.<\/p>\n
Overall, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this point and the reasons I should not work in this section. I still plan to talk to my manager to see if it’s an option to learn it without working my shifts in this department. If that’s not an option, what are your thoughts? Should I not take the promotion?<\/p>\n\t
The word “wine” in the New Testament is a generic term referring to any product made from grape juice. By itself, you cannot determine whether alcohol was involved or not. See:<\/p>\n
You are correct that you need to consider your reputation as a Christian, as you represent the Lord to the world around you. Jobs that require supplying products that would be wrong for a Christian to use would be wrong because we cannot promote sinful behavior.<\/p>\n
Talk to your manager and explain that you have religious limitations on what you can do. If accommodations can’t be made, I would personally decline the position.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Hi, I work at a grocery store and am about to begin my training for a promotion. This promotion will involve various new tasks, such as closing the store, opening and working in customer service, handling cash, and, my main concern, working in our coffee and alcohol section. I personally do not drink and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[371,105,659,104],"class_list":["post-95532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-alcohol","tag-employment","tag-jobs","tag-work"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31529,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-you-pick-a-job-when-so-many-can-involve-sinful-things\/","url_meta":{"origin":95532,"position":0},"title":"How do you pick a job when so many can involve sinful things?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 30, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: It seems like there are a lot of jobs where a person comes in contact with alcohol and cigarettes and other morally improper things. For instance, if someone works at a restaurant they might end up pouring and serving alcohol, or maybe a musician who plays at a restaurant\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":34542,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-a-congregation-retains-an-elder-who-is-a-widower-should-we-leave\/","url_meta":{"origin":95532,"position":1},"title":"If a congregation retains an elder who is a widower, should we leave?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 29, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: We're conducting a class in which we're going over the basics of Christianity and just last night, we started discussing the qualifications of elders and deacons. I almost fell out of my seat when our minister stated it's OK for an elder to keep on serving after his wife\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54134,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-not-become-slaves-of-men\/","url_meta":{"origin":95532,"position":2},"title":"Do Not Become Slaves Of Men","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 24, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Sewell Hall \"Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16446,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-a-christian-eat-with-a-non-christian-who-is-having-alcohol-with-his-meal\/","url_meta":{"origin":95532,"position":3},"title":"Should a Christian eat with a non-Christian who is having alcohol with his meal?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 19, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: First, I want to thank you for explaining in\u00a0a previous response about\u00a0why social drinking is sinful.\u00a0 Now, I have for you a short scenario that\u2019s based on that fact. A Christian gets invited to go eat at a steakhouse by his non-Christian work buddy. While ordering his meal, this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38269,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-decide-what-is-acceptable-how-do-you-deal-with-what-you-dont-know\/","url_meta":{"origin":95532,"position":4},"title":"How do I decide what is acceptable? How do you deal with what you don’t know?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 6, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello Brother Hamilton, I have two questions: As I grow as a Christian and as a musician, I'm having a hard time deciding what places are acceptable to visit to listen to music or play at. It seems like alcohol is served everywhere, now even at classical orchestra concerts\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":41588,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-an-elder-an-elder-for-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":95532,"position":5},"title":"Is an elder an elder for life?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: A brother in our area is claiming to be \"an elder for life\" even though he has moved from one congregation to another and has not\u00a0been a serving elder in either. 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