How to Share Your Faith Using Energy Drinks
Maybe you've heard about the energy drink Cocaine, which was voluntarily pulled from stores nationwide, due to its controversial name and marketing spin. "Cocaine" contained no illegal drugs...it was just an energy drink, but it was marketed with phrases like "Speed in a Can," "Liquid Cocaine" and "Cocaine - Instant Rush" - phrases which glamorized the actual, illegal drug of the same name, and were therefore controversial for a public marketing campaign.
While Cocaine was an extreme name, it joined a booming energy drink market. Monster, Throttle, Surge, Jolt...just reading the names gives you a "buzz"! Not to mention the 800 pound gorilla of them all - Red Bull. Energy drinks have rocketed into a $2 billion+ business.
Are they a wholesome alternative to the alcohol and drug scene? Or are they just chemically induced fun on a different (though legal) level? Opinions differ, but given how popular energy drinks have become, they can easily serve as a conversation starter for God-talk.
As Christians we should stop and think about where our energy, strength and power ultimately come from! We need to realize that we have a resource that is far more stimulating than Red Bull or Surge. Check out these verses:
We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. (Colossians 1:28-29)
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength... (Ephesians 1:18-19)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Do you get the feeling God has something to tell us about where our buzz should be coming from? From Him! And the way we do that is by spending time with Him - thru prayer, worship, being in His Word, and plugging into the power of His Holy Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis. (To learn more about how to do this, check out the Soul Fuel article on the power of the Holy Spirit.)
Don't get me wrong, knowing our power and energy come from God doesn't mean we don't need food or drink to fuel our bodies. But just as you need physical food or drink on a regular basis, remember that you also need to refuel your spiritual energy level with spiritual food and drink.
So whether you view energy drinks as a mind and behavior altering substance or as a useful tool that helps give you an energy boost when your crazy life demands it, they can be a reminder of where your spiritual energy comes from. They can also be a conversation starter with your unreached friends to initiate God-talk. Next time you or your friends down an energy drink, try exploring some of these questions:
- Ask your friends what they do when they're feeling drained and exhausted physically?
- What do they do when they're feeling drained and exhausted emotionally? Share what God means in your life and how you access His power and strength when you are feeling overwhelmed. For example, for some Christians this means turning to their favorite verses in the Bible, for others, it's prayer, and for some it's immersing themselves in a particular Christian song that pulls them into God's presence.
- Ask your friends if they believe in a spiritual dimension to life. Do they ever feel spiritually drained and exhausted and in need of a spiritual energy boost? Where do they turn when they feel that way? Share about your experiences with God and what a relationship with Jesus means in your life. Invite them to join you in listening to your favorite Christian music or recruit them to join you at youth group this week.
Red Bull and Surge may be relatively new to the scene, but the caffeine rush from coffee has been around for centuries. Still the rush from being in a relationship with the God of the Universe tops them all. Let your world know!
