The Cup of Coffee That Ruined Me

Have you ever experienced something so good, so superior, that it ruined everything else for you?

Let me explain.

Back in seminary, my Hebrew professor had a side hustle. It wasn’t tutoring or not editing. He roasted coffee. And he got so good at it that he launched a little company called Back Alley Coffee Roasters. And like a caffeinated street dealer, he showed up to class with free samples to hook us.

One sip and I was ruined. Every cup after that tasted like dirty water in comparison. His plan worked. I became a regular customer.

Eventually he sold the business to world champion roasters who rebranded it and jacked up the prices. The coffee’s still amazing, but it’s now more of a special-occasion splurge. And yet, to this day, I compare every cup I drink to that first one from my Hebrew teacher.

Here’s the point: Christ should ruin us the same way.

Once you’ve truly tasted life in Christ, nothing else compares. No pleasure, no achievement, and no “good enough” substitute can satisfy like He does.

Tomorrow, we’re going to look at how Jesus has a way of wrecking our lives, not in a destructive way, but in the most beautiful, freeing, joy-filled way. Because once you’ve had the real thing, nothing else compares.