Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Sudden Departures


There was once back in the days of Apartheid, a British Airways flight was getting ready to fly from Johannesburg to Heathrow, when suddenly, a middle-aged, well-off white South African lady had found herself sitting next to a black man. She pressed the call button and called the cabin attendant over to complain about her seating. "What seems to be the problem Madam?" asked the attendant. "Can't you see?" she said. "You've seated me next to a kaffir. I can't possibly sit next to this disgusting human. Find me another seat!" "Please calm down Madam." the stewardess replied. I'll go see if we have any seats available in club or first class. A few minutes later the stewardess returns. "Well, I have good news. We do have one seat in first class." Then she turned to the black man, and said, "Sir, if you'd like to get your things, you can follow me to your new seat in first class." At which point, the surrounding passengers stood and gave a standing ovation while the man followed the flight attendant up to the front of the plane, disappearing behind the curtain.

What would you consider to be good news?  Would it be finding out that the dream job you had applied for is going to be yours? What would it take you get you to drop everything and live the way  you were called to? Would take a lot of money? Would it take a great marriage proposal? Could it be as simple as finding out that you have been upgraded and you are going to get away from that obnoxious passenger in 26D? Perhaps. 


I know that on many levels, I would be glad and relieved to get away from that passenger. I might have stood and applauded with other passengers if I had witness that event. But it also occurs to me that there is a greater challenge for us as believers. We are called to love that same person in seat 26D in the same ways that the Master does. He would call us to catch her and to invite her; to let her life be transformed by answering the call to come and follow him. And would surprise you to find out that this lady considered herself to already be a good Christian?

Here is the great thing but being invited to go with Jesus: he will take you where you are at, no questions asked, warts and all. And here is the hard thing about accepting that same invitation: You are never going to be the same again. He is going to change you. Your whole life is going to revolve around what you see and do not only for him and in his name. Your life is going to be about responding to Jesus and to the life he has called you to in his kingdom.


I think of these fishermen and the lives they chose to leave behind. They left for time, everything they had built up. They left their homes, their families, their parents and maybe even children behind to go chasing after this one man they believe is the real deal. They want to be a part of what is about to happen. They have bought into everything the Master is teaching and they are going to go and learn about the kingdom. And these men don’t know it yet but their lives are going to be radically different and in turn, so too is the world. The world is going to be transformed and know the reign and kingdom of God.

But how does this relate to us? Well stop and consider the same question those four men did, will you come forward and follow Jesus as his disciple?  Can you say that your words and deeds will be seen as words and deeds that amplify and declare the kingdom? Would God say the same thing? And most of all are you ready for your sudden departure?

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