Christ, Hidden in the Unworthy: Part 1

A few weeks ago, I flew to Richmond, VA for a meeting.  I flew out of O’Hare, through Charlotte, and into Richmond.  Along the way, I had plans.  I was going to do some study for an upcoming sermon, plan a lesson for my homeschool coop, do some journaling, and read part of a book that we’re reading together as pastors.  So as I was figuring out where to sit while waiting at the airport, I was sorting… because there are a few major groups of people who travel through airports.

There are the folks who are using their travel time to get things done and are not at all interested in interacting with anybody… and there are the folks who use their travel time as leisure time and are reading fiction, listening to music, or watching movies or tv shows on their ipads and phones and don’t want to be interrupted… and then there are the folks that want to talk.  They want to tell you all about why they’re traveling, where they’ve been, what they did or what they’re going to do, and they want to ask you all the same questions.

This last group is the group I was doing my best to avoid. I immediately spotted a few of them and strategically placed myself as far from them as I could in the waiting area.  And so when I got on the plane and found that the people I was seated next to on both flights were in one of the first two categories, I was relieved… thankful… and I got a lot done.

I had decided, without articulating or even recognizing my decision, that everyone in the airport and everyone I was flying with was not worth my time or my attention.  I was basically staying in my own little ‘bubble’ and hoping no one would intrude.  I was simply not paying attention to anyone but myself.

I wonder how many of us engage in sorting processes like I did.  I wonder how quickly we decide who is and who is not worthy of our time, attention, and resources.  Do we sort people based on their politics? Their efficiency and productivity – what they contribute to the world or to our life? How funny they are? Do we sort people who aren’t in the same life stage as we are? What kinds of categories do we have for our coworkers?  For neighbors on our street?  For family members?  What about when we encounter strangers? How do we decide who is worthy of our time and who isn’t?  And how quickly do we make those decisions?  And how do those sorting processes… those categories we set up… affect us and the world around us?  Do they affect Christ?

What are your thoughts?