People all over the world drink tea. But they don’t all drink it the same way. In the North African country of Morocco, people drink green tea mixed with mint leaves and sugar. A host prepares the tea with great care. He or she serves it to guests to show hospitality. People in Japan perform delicate tea ceremonies to honor guests. For them, every movement in the ceremony is planned. To learn to perform the tea ceremony well, people study for 10 years!

In Tibet, people drink tea with yak butter and salt in it. The fat in the butter helps boost energy in the high, cold mountains. It is said that some nomads drink up to 40 cups of tea each day! When doing business in Pakistan, a meeting will start with a few cups of tea and small talk. People there also give a cup of sweetened tea to laborers—kind of like you might give someone working on your house a glass of lemonade.

These countries each have their own “tea culture.” That means people in each place drink tea in specific ways for specific reasons. Serving tea sends messages. Often it means, “You are welcome in my house.” It also can mean, “I want to show you honor and respect.”

Luke 7:34 tells us that “the Son of Man has come eating and drinking.” Jesus knew that eating and drinking is a very important part of human life. In fact, He used eating bread and drinking wine to show us the most important truth of all. His broken body and spilled blood can save us from sin.

“This is my body, which is for you . . . This cup is the new covenant in my blood.” – 1 Corinthians 11:23-25