Uncomfortable for Jesus

Great peace have they who love
Your law, and nothing shall
offend them.
Psalm 119:165

Changeable weather brings out the good and bad of we church attenders. Over the recent couple of weeks, our building and grounds folks have cranked up the heating system of our church. Most of us know what the awakening of a furnace smells like...smelly heat. It generally overheats a room or building to the point of being VERY uncomfortable. But, spring is going to come and guess what happens then? The air conditioning will be turned on with a fury while ladies wrap up in sweaters and in some churches, choir robes. Either way, most folks end up being physically uncomfortable.

Not long ago, my friend Becky used a term on Face Book with regard to a friend of ours named Fred. (Wish you could know Becky. She's not only a wonderful musician but is also a very insightful Christian.) Our friend Fred recently made a move from my former church staff to another in a not so distant city. Becky said of our mutual friend that he is the kind of person who doesn't shy away from being “uncomfortable for Jesus.” Those words just penetrated deep into my spirit. Not only did I sense a spiritual agreement with Becky regarding Fred, but I questioned my own motivations when it comes to many things, things in which the Lord has been dealing with me on a personal level. I ask myself, “Do I want to do the spiritual thing, but at any cost?” Not a one of us likes being uncomfortable, not in today's world of controversy. Am I willing to face discomfort for Jesus Who certainly was willing to suffer more than the “uncomfortable” for me.

Comfortable: Physical ease and relaxation of mind, body or spirit
Uncomfortable: Feeling pain, physical or emotional discomfort. Feeling ill at ease or awkward.

As Christians, we much prefer the comfortable life. We want to feel good all the time or if we don't, then perhaps take a pill to take care of it. We don't want the weather too hot or too cold. We like our weather just right with maybe a jacket at night or early morning. We want to eat only the things we like. We like our mattress not too soft or too hard but just right. Sounds like the three bears trying out chairs, porridge and beds doesn't it? Our list of comforts could go on and on ad nauseum. We have grown to depend on those things that add to our comfort...dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers, lawnmowers with motors and even seats, and they say the day will come when we don't even have to drive our own cars. They will drive themselves while we sit and look at the scenery.

How very sad that when it comes to our spiritual walk, we also want to keep things comfortable. Jesus didn't seek the comforts of life from what we see in the Gospels. The perfect Son of God who deserved nothing but respect and the good things of life, faced just the opposite. Some of the main discomforts He faced that were attacks on who He was came in the form of insults, disrespect, being made fun of, misunderstanding of friends and family members and physical cruelty. And yet, He remained firm in who He was. He wasn't a name dropper...”Because I'm God's Son, you shouldn't treat me like you do”. According to Philippians 2, Jesus never took advantage of who He was. He humbled Himself and took on the responsibility of servanthood.

There are areas in our spiritual walk in every day living that can be uncomfortable, especially in the day we live. We are seeing more and more in our country an onslaught of attacks against our faith and God's Word. I'm thinking of some folks who have blessed me in ways that might be uncomfortable for them but who carried on anyway:

• I'm always blessed when in a restaurant, I see folks say grace before eating and I mean saying it out loud. They don't pretend to fix the napkin on their laps as a cover for praying.
• As I was checking out at a store, I noticed the check out lady humming a song. As I listened, she was humming “I Surrender All.” She wasn't being loud or being a show off. It seemed as natural for her to do that as breathing. As I left, I said, “I love that song you were humming.” She smiled and asked what she was humming and I told her. She thanked me. I wonder how many patrons pass through her counter area who hear her song that can be a witness to the saved and unsaved alike.
• Another check out lady I noticed at a variety store had a beautiful pin on her uniform pocket that spelled out JESUS, spelled out in lovely stones. I commented jokingly to her that I'd like to steal JESUS from her. She sweetly said, “No one can steal Jesus from either of us.” She was right.
• I've seen folks read their Bibles in the oddest of places...doctor's offices, school rooms, work place, sitting in a car waiting on children to come out from school, airplanes, various waiting rooms and even in restaurants when lunching alone. These times could be uncomfortable because of the criticism that many people boldly dish out.
  

Those times are minor though when we find ourselves being called upon to take stands for Jesus before friends, family, co workers and yes, sorry to say, church members. Some of Jesus' toughest stands were with the religious community of His day. In His humanity, such times couldn't have been pleasurable. Those were the ones who plotted and schemed to have Jesus crucified. They just used the Romans to get the job done. Talk about uncomfortable, the epitome of discomfort as we see it was Jesus' torture and death. That's heartbreaking for me to think about, but so is the fact that the perfect Son of God took on your sin and mine. He had never known what sin felt like, but on that cross, He was forced to endure it.

Back to Fred... Becky and I both saw times when Fred stood for right no matter what anyone thought. Fred was our choir director and I could never envy anyone who holds that position. He was kind about things aimed his direction that were anything but comfortable, but still stood firm on the things that really counted. I doubt that Fred even considered that others were watching some of those times we knew about. People are watching you and me too. Are we willing to endure some uncomfortable moments when it comes to our faith or do we only want the calm, easy times where we're never offended for our faith. What is our faith worth if it is only a fair-weather faith? When the tough stands are brought into our lives, can we be comfortable being “uncomfortable for Jesus?”

Resting in the arms of Jesus should always be comfortable and bring us comfort when the hard times come. The unsaved of our world will never understand us when it comes to how we live out our faith. Our boldness will come only as we maintain a close relationship with Jesus. Everyday living with and for Him should be second nature to us, kind of like the humming check-out lady. Our devotion will be noticed, but even with something so simple, as humming a song, wearing a pin or saying a simple, “God bless you,” criticism and ridicule may come.

Thanks Fred...Becky and I have watched as have others. We've learned, been blessed and encouraged more than you can know!

Dear Jesus, I never want to let You down. In an anti-faith world, when called upon to stand for You, I pray for Your strengthening, counting on Your pouring courage into me. You have paved the way for me in setting examples for me to live by. Thank You for being who You are in my life. In Your precious name...Amen.