By Denton Josey, Page Editor
It’s just that we were all so terribly uncomfortable because we’re all so terribly comfortable all the time.
I have a roommate who takes care of an elderly lady. He brings her food almost every week.
Sometimes my roommate asks me to deliver her the food. The few times I’ve done this, I’ve noticed some things.
Momma Joe loves to talk. She is about 80 and she says no one wants to hire someone that old.
“They won’t hire me because they’re afraid I’m gonna fall down and hurt myself and then sue ’em.”
So she is pretty dependent on the generosity of people like my roommate. I’m kind of uneasy with the thought that if it weren’t for someone bringing her food, Momma Joe, could get really sick or die.
It can be awkward standing on her front porch as Momma Joe talks and talks. She isn’t concerned with how I see her as she sits on her knees to talk to me instead of standing or that her house smells weird.
Through spending time with her, I noticed how uncomfortable I am doing the things Jesus would do.
I read an article the other day, and a guy going through the same type of thing wrote: “as I helped I realized how much I absolutely tick myself off. It has become so incredibly fashionable for me, my friends and people in the church to talk about helping the poor and how Jesus loved the poor and how we need to do something about Africa and how there are starving people in our own cities.”
Yet, I typically do nothing. We typically do nothing.
This writer said it sounds great to want to help those in need, to do what we should. Yet, he said, too often it looks like this:
“Jesus loves the poor! We should too! Now go home and watch football!”
The truth is that actually helping somebody is more uncomfortable that only talking about it. A buddy of mine told me he hopes to spend so much time with people Jesus would hang out with that he desn’t notice the discomfort. He said he wanted it to be like when he visits his high school football locker room the smell isn’t bad to him; instead it brings back great memories.
Maybe being like Jesus isn’t as boring as so many of us make it seem; perhaps if we did the things we’re asked to do we would enjoy life more. It might be a less comfortable lifestyle, but for those of us that feel like we’re missing out on something, isn’t it worth a try?
