maybe you’ve been there…

you’ve made a new Christian friend and you decide to go out to dinner.

you find yourself and your company pulled up at a restaurant called  el mojacete, el paco, las tequilas, bonitas tacos or something.  after being called senoritas and/or senors (hopefully correctly corresponding to your particular gender), you slide yourself into a comfy booth and place your drink orders.  and faster than you can say “aye carumba,” a basket of tortilla chips and bowls of salsa goodness slide across the laminate eating surface.

then it comes…

the eye glances down to the (hopefully) fresh and warm chips.

the finger twitches towards the (hopefully) cilantro-laden mexican sauce.

you sit and smile at each other, and study the non-verbals of your i’ve-never-eaten-mexican-food-with-you Christian acquaintance.

inevitably, out of sheer hunger (or the uncomfortable silence), your company eventually:

1) reaches for a chip

or

2) bows his/her head

either way, the awkwardness is broken and you now know the answer to a very important question:

whether or not your friend is a pre- or post-chip prayer person.

both habits have merit…

pre-chippers take the rule of praying for food and apply it to eating in general; which means that, to practice this interpretation correctly, prayer must be exercised for anything that is considered edible.  this would mean that prayer is a prereq before consuming chips & salsa.  (this rule may or may not apply to snacks throughout the day as well.)

post-chippers interpret the praying for food rule to praying before eating meals. now, the word “meals” is also open for interpretation.  appetizers, generally, are considered part of a formal meal when they are paid for and/or require significant waiting or effort to serve and/or eat.  appetizers like chips & salsa, rolls, and peanuts are not paid and wait-for appetizers and therefore do not officially make it into the “meal” category… so they are free to consume without prayer.  (this group would also not typically pray before snacks, unless the snacks are really large and/or this particular believer has skipped a major meal throughout the day.)

of course, there is the occasional mid-chip prayer person.  they dig in, and you think your safe.  you think to yourself, “oh, my new friend is post-chip… no prob.”  and then, half-way through the basket, they jump like they’ve been shot and say, “oh my WORD!  we totally forgot to pray.”  in this instance, you–if you are post-chip–can try and explain your personal tortilla chip prayer strategy (“oh.  i didn’t forget.  i normally pray when either 1) the first basket is done.  or 2) when the food comes.  whichever comes first… you know, kinda like the whole 3,000 miles/3 months oil change thing.”) or just go along with them (“OH YES!), hurriedly bow your head, and make a mental note that this friend is a forgetful pre-chip person.

(mid-chipping can also happen when the group is post-chip, but the food doesn’t come out at the same time.  after prayer, the my-food-is-here people can go ahead and eat without their food getting cold, and the other normal post-chippers can continue snacking until their fajitas are finished cooking.)

personally, i think that mexican-food eating could be a lot easier if these terms could become mainstream in Christian culture.

take the following scenario.  you and your friend sit in the booth.  the chips & salsa are delivered.

you: hey, i’m post-chip.

your friend:  eh, i’m more of a pre-chipper myself.

you:  hey, no prob.  let’s pray.

you bow.  you pray.  you chip.

there is no awkwardness, no analyzation, and all can eat, drink, and be merry.

until the “meal” comes.

because whether or not you are pre-, post-, or a mid-chip person, you’ll still be full by the time the burritos are served.

*btw, the post was inspired by an illustration by my pastor… i’m all about giving create to where create is due.