FLANNELETTE SHEETS
AND FIREMEN
Life has its share of embarrassing moments. Please nod your head in sympathetic agreement. In my case, I have learned to live with what I now affectionately call my friend, "Mr. Embarrassment".
Take yesterday for example. I was visiting someone in the community for the first time. In the midst of the visit, I happened to notice that on the shelf above me was the graduation picture of a handsome young man. Ah, a point of conversation upon which to seize! "Is that a picture of your grandson?", I asked. Everyone likes it when you notice their families, right? I thought, "Now we're on the way to a nice little chat." The only thing was that the picture was of her son. Sigh.
Hoping to somehow redeem myself, I asked when he had graduated. I thought maybe the picture was taken a few years ago and my faux pas would have only had three legs to stand upon. Unfortunately, he graduated this past year. I have no idea what I was thinking. This lovely, kind, gracious women couldn't have possibly been his grandmother. I was just out to lunch! Well, at least I wasn't alone. "Mr. Embarrassment" also came for a visit! But this time he didn't just say "hi". No, he walked right up to me and gave me a BIG hug, like the kind you get from that aunt who always insists on pinching your cheek!
Oh, well! What can you do? Life's too short to kill yourself over such blunderous misconfabulations. So, as soon as you finish laughing at my expense, lets move on, shall we? I want to take you back to an infamous imbroglio when I was around sixteen.
One morning, at around 7:30 am, my mother had already begun her early shift at the hospital, and I was alone in our apartment. At that moment, all was right with the world 'cause I was snoozing up a storm. My alarm clock had yet to annoy me from my slumber. My kingdom extended no further than a few soft pillows and some flannelette sheets. It was a small kingdom, but it was fuzzy and warm. That soon changed when my state of rest was abruptly smashed by the not too friendly yelling of a fireman
It was bad enough that one moment I was in dreamland, and the next I was awakened to a nightmare. Worst still was the fact that I was awakened to a nightmare by a stranger dressed in black who was sporting a less than amiable attitude. I suppose I can't blame him since he was standing on a ladder three stories off the ground, knocking on my bedroom window. It seems that there was a fire in a garbage room on the second floor and the fire alarm had been on for about fifteen minutes. For some reason the alarm didn't do it for me.
I think you can understand that I was embarrassed by the fact that a fireman had to climb three stories to wake me up when everyone else in the building was already outside. But, I would gladly be embarrassed again under the same circumstances because, even though I was blissfully asleep, all cozy and comfy in my bed, my life was in danger. I could have died in my sleep.
OK, so what do we learn from these
select visits from "Mr. Embarrassment"?
First, there are worse things than being embarrassed, though our pride may tell us differently! Being embarrassed isn't the end of the world. Sometimes it's what happens when you're trying something new, like speaking in public, or singing, or visiting, or leading a bible study. Even though you didn't quite get it right, and thus felt embarrassed, at least you got out of your comfort zone and gave it a try! The only way to avoid embarrassment is by doing nothing, right? Actually that's not true because if you do nothing with your faith, you will stand embarrassed before the Lord of Lords on the Day of Days. Ooooooooo Doggies!
At other times, embarrassment reminds us that we're human and fallible. And, if that's the case, it should make us more humble, forgiving, and gracious. The fruit of such predicaments seems pretty appealing to me. At least there is a positive side to our pain, right!?
Finally, if it's true that we primarily get embarrassed when we step out of our comfort zones and try something new, something alive for Christ, then embarrassment is preferable to comfort, just as life is preferable to death. Listen to these words from Jesus to the church in Sardis. "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up!" (Rev 3:1-2a)
This passage is downright scary! Here is a church that has a reputation for being alive. All the other churches looked at Sardis as the flagship of the fleet. "Man! That preacher from Sardis IS goooood!" "Have you heard the worship band at Sardis? Wow!" "Did you hear that Sardis had to add another service to their five others?" "Sardis has the best youth program in the world!" Yep, Sardis had a reputations for being ALIVE! But, reputations don't seem to impress our Lord much, do they? Regardless of the preaching and the programs and it's influence, this church was DEAD. They were comfortable, cozy and asleep. Somewhere along they way, they had become respectable. However, with the respect of men came a warning from the Lord. Kind of shakes you up, doesn't it?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not pointing fingers at any of the superstars of the church world. Sometimes spiritual success brings recognition from your fellow Christians, and that's fine. But, respectability, success and the comfort it creates, can also be the biggest embarrassment of all!
Ok, let me leave you with a few questions to chew on. When was the last time you embarrassed yourself for the sake of Christ? When was the last time you put your love for Jesus above your respectability and comfort? Could it be that you're lying all cozy in your spiritual sheets while Jesus is standing outside your window; knocking to wake you up? Don't feel bad, just wake up and step out!
