three cups

In order to understand another person's culture, it is vital to begin to see the world through their eyes. Today we read about a worldview foreign to most Americans but core to the cultures the Middle East and Asia (including China, Korea, and Japan). I quote a section of today's lesson from the chapter, "Tackling the Tough Issues":

"While these societies may fear the wrath of a higher power and punish lawbreakers, they are most concerned with maintaining honor and avoiding shame. Consequently, telling a lie could be viewed as neither right of wrong but as an honorable action, if it was meant to protect one's group. However, if the deception was selfishly motivated, then it would be considered a shameful act.
In the Middle East, personal friendships and tribal alliances are fully dependent upon issues of honor and shame." -The Everything Middle East Book (Jacob M. Fellure)

We found it interesting to learn about the traditional Three Cups of Coffee that the Bedouin offer weary travelers. The first cup (salaam, meaning "peace"), is obligatory. It communicates non-aggressive intentions to all passersby, regardless of their status or political association. If the conversation continues pleasantly, the second cup (sadaqa, meaning "friendship"), may be offered. If the vibes continue to remain positive and promising of a further relationship, the alliance is sealed with the third cup of coffee (issayf, meaning "the sword"). This last cup commits both parties to defending each other's honor (and that of their tribe) to the bitter end. Hence, the sword part.
Two thoughts came to me when I first learned about this custom:
1) be careful whom I have coffee with; the implications may entirely escape me.
2) Arabian coffee is so good and the tiny glass cups so small, I would drink three cups before you could say "open sesame". And I don't even own a sword.