Comfy?

Have you ever sat in the coach cabin of an airline flight and noticed the special treatment extended to those beyond the blue curtain in First Class? Sure some of those folks paid for that special treatment, but others get it because someone else, like an employer, has paid the price. Yet I sit in my narrow seat with my little bag of 13 peanuts resenting the “entitlement” attitude I’m convinced those First Class passengers have. By the time I get off the plane they are long gone with their full stomachs as I drag my hungry self into the crowded airport. Why do they get to be comfy? They certainly didn’t bother to walk back and share their filet mignon with any of us. We were on the same plane going to the same destination but they were able to enjoy the ride because of their position inside the blue curtain.
I’ve been pondering how comfy I am inside the “blue curtain” of my church home. Life is pretty good. I have Sunday school classes, Bible studies, community groups and many other options to fill my time with godly brothers and sisters. But do I have that assumed “entitlement” attitude of those First Class passengers because I’m in the right place? I’m growing in the knowledge of Jesus; I know more Scripture than ever; but am I walking outside the blue curtain to tell those in “coach” what’s on the “other side”? Oh, don’t get me wrong, I give to send “flight attendants” beyond the curtain onto other flights that go abroad to countries around the world, but do I care about the folks that are just a few feet away?
When Jesus instructed the disciples, to:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 (NASB)
He had us in mind. We are His disciples and we are to be recreating ourselves. But how to we do that if we don’t go out with intentions to meet those in “coach”? It’s safe on this side because we know what to expect and what results will be when we are comfy. Jesus prayed we would not be “taken out of the world, but keep them from the evil one”. (John 17:15) I’m pretty sure Jesus wants me to walk into the lives of those that think we are fat, dumb and happy in First Class but won’t bother to dirty our hands to love and accept the grocery clerk, the Starbucks barista or HEAVEN FORBID the man at the light with a “need food” sign.
A pastor in Santa Cruz recently said, “We have to define ourselves or others will do it for us.” Are we defined by our love like the old chorus “they will know we are Christians by our love”? Have “they” even met us or are we insulated and safe inside the curtain? If you ask them who Jesus was they will tell you “He was a great man that loved people; He cared for the poor and fed the hungry”. If you ask these same people to define Christians they say: “They are judgmental, oppress women, homophobic, negative and arrogantly think they are right and everyone else is wrong.” (Taken from Compassion Unleashed Conference, San Jose, CA May, 2008.) Wow, doesn’t sound a lot like Jesus, does it? They typically draw their definitions when we DO make ourselves known. Most of those viewing Christians are very aware of where we stand on political issues. They see us as followers of Rush Limbaugh rather than Jesus Christ. What if they could see the real Christian in us? If they did, Jesus would be seen. We would break some of those stereotypes in chosing to show love by reaching into their world. What are their needs? Can we offer a smile? Call them by name?
It’s going to cost us something. It may take getting uncomfortable to get up out of our First Class seat and take what has been given to us to those without. It is said we don’t have to have the answers when we step out because the Spirit of the living God dwells within in us and wherever we go His presence is there. Just go and let Him do the talking. After all, Jesus paid the price for us to sit in First Class and He wants the whole plane to know they can be there too, enjoying the ride by knowing Who paid price for them to be there.