One of my favorite TV shows, which you can find weekdays on what happens to be my favorite TV channel, the one and only ESPN is PTI. Pardon the Interruption is hosted by Washington Post columnists and longtime buddies Tony Kornheiser and South Side of Chicago native and Northwester grad, the prolific Michael Wilbon. Throughout the show they consistently interrupt each other, but do provide a very accurate and well informed view into the ins and outs of what’s going on in the world of sports.
If your like me, it seems that on a daily basis some one will say those three words to me, sometimes with a polite tone and sometimes not, those three words being “pardon the interruption but…….” most times resulting in one more thing I need to do or one more question I need to answer. Hence one of the reasons I love to travel abroad, because when I’m in a different country, 1) it’s obvious because of my camera and fanny pack (only kidding) and 2) people realize that I don’t know the answer. Therefore I’m not, yep you guessed it; interrupted.
I don’t realize where this entitlement to uninterrupted living began but it certainly is something that we wrestle with, particularly in our culture. Here in Chicagoland we Chicagoans are known for a lot of things, one of those being productivity. This city was built on hard work and over-paced lives. Today we still feel the side effects and continue to live out of that ethos. The demand only increases and our supply of time does the opposite. Our need to produce, or our desire to produce, to be effective, to put out the façade that we are too busy for anyone not only makes us unapproachable, but gives us a reason to be irritated with people when they utter those 3 words. Now if we, you and I were all called to be busy, productive, unapproachable people then perhaps this wouldn’t be a huge problem, however that is not our calling. Our calling is to be Children of Light, Kingdom Bringers, True Disciples ushering in the Already-Not Yet Kingdom of God, and that’s where the problem exists. If we are Christians then we have to examine the life that our name sake lived, for during the ministry of Christ he was perhaps the person in highest demand in his entire culture, yet maintained to be the most interruptible person that has walked the earth.
This morning during my time with God, I was meditating on the passage in Luke 7:11-17, “Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.”
As I read this through a few times, it occurred to me that this meeting was not in his PDA, this wasn’t in his Outlook, this was not a meeting that Jesus had planned for. I imagine as Jesus and his crew were entering the gates of the city, they had plans for the day. Yet they were met with something unexpected. Something they could either walk by or be open to consider that this interruption may be the will of the Father. The text tells us this was “the only son of his mother”, and this is significant for us to see. The woman who had already lost her husband, the chief provider for her needs, just lost her future provision as well and Jesus recognized this for he knew his culture very well.
Jesus knew that the only means of survival for that woman was lying there in that coffin, and his heart was moved to compassion, so moved that he welcomed the interruption and brought the son back to life.
So, pardon the interruption, but I have to ask, what are you praying for that will move your heart today? Or will you and I be too busy and miss the people God brings across our path that need a touch from him.
“Compassionate people often inspire others to be compassionate.”
-Joyce Rupp
2 comments:
Wow. I regret only reading your blog for the first time at 12:45 am. Interesting tale of Jesus and the mourning woman. I have often found myself rapped up in what needs done for myself instead of considering what God has planned. Tonight at the axes experience I was tremendously touched by everything that happened and I realized during a trip to the bathroom one thing. We can not even fathom the way in which God designed community and how far detached from that experience we are, especially in america. I felt so open at axis and free to laugh, cry and rest in God. I felt a vulnerability and openness I haven't felt for years- It was the hand of God. I love you Jon more than words can express and continually thank God for you in my life. P.S Acts 1-3 is rocking my world. Cant wait to see you on Saturday at church. Be in Peace
I Pray that we continue to make the time to stop and look on others in our community as Christ did, a look of compassion and love. I'm so encouraged to see that people in Axis are experiencing freedom to live out of their true selves, courageously dismantleing the mask we so often hide behind. I'll forever be touched by Gretchen's courage last night, her boldness and authenticity I beleive will spawn more of that in the future of our community!
JP
Post a Comment