I guess I didn't come off as "campy"

In August I went camping for the first time.  Now I should probably mention here that this wasn’t intense camping… we were on campgrounds, had plenty of food, covered areas, bathrooms, and showers (if you consider a cold, lousy trickle to be a “shower”).  I was with a large team of fellow Resident Assistants who went camping for our RA retreat (if you consider sleeping in tents with less than sanitary bathrooms a “retreat”).  Throughout this process of learning how to camp, I was laughed at frequently.  I guess I didn’t come off as very “campy.”  Maybe it was the fact that I had no idea how to pitch a tent.  Or maybe it was the fact that I found it necessary to bring 4 pairs of pants for this 2.5 day trip.  Possibly it was because I just really didn’t have any idea what I was doing.  But aside from sleeping on gravel that was uncomfortable at best, I enjoyed myself.

Fast forward to March when I received a phone call from a missionary who visited my college in the fall.  She said I had been on her mind, had prayed about it, talked to her husband, and wanted to ask me to be a senior staff leader on their mission trip to Costa Rica over the summer. 

What?!  Me?  Of all people?  When God put this opportunity in the cards for me, did He remember what my camping skills look like? 

I love using the excuse, “I’m a sender, not a goer.”  In other words, “no, I am not going on a mission trip, but I’ll pray for yours.”  But upon receiving this phone call, I began to realize that maybe I could be a goer.  For the next 2 weeks I prayed, talked with friends, mentors, and family.  Amidst all of my fears and insecurities about this opportunity, two passages kept coming to mind:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Even though camping, being “one with nature,” or whatever you call it is a weakness of mine, I can rest assured that God’s power will be made perfect in that weakness.

The other passage comes from Exodus 4.  Moses is asked by God to go and speak.  Moses says no.  He is not eloquent, he is slow in speech, he feels under-qualified to go in God’s name.  But God insists, “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (4:12). 

In no way do I feel qualified to be leading this team to Costa Rica.  Why me, Lord?  Isn’t there someone else who could do this better than me? 

With these two passages running through my mind as I sorted through reasons why I should or shouldn’t go to Costa Rica, the answer became obvious.  The Lord is calling me to go.  He wants to send me.  His power will be made perfect in my weakness.  I have come to terms with the fact that I will probably do some really stupid, embarrassing things while figuring out the world of camping.  My team might just look at me and laugh.  I might get half way through and wonder, “what am I doing here?”  But I know God has chosen me for a reason. 

So with a joyful and surrendered heart I say, “Here I am, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).  

Frustrated by that extra slice of cheese

What happens to us as we walk into the doors of Subway?  How is it that we suddenly feel the right to snap at the workers about our choice of bread, meat, cheese, sauces, and vegetables?  Is it really necessary to be angry when the worker doesn’t catch everything on our long list of vegetable preferences the first time around?  Was it really that difficult to repeat “I’ll take some onions?"  Must we insist the worker puts on more bell peppers on top of our already overflowing sandwich?  Is there a nicer way to ask for less cheese than by saying, “only two slices; my waist can’t handle that third piece.” 

The other day I walked into Subway and had an experience quite like the one described above.  The lady in front of me acted like she owned the place.  Clearly, she was ordering a sandwich she had ordered many times before.  She was easily frustrated by that extra slice of cheese.  She wasn’t all too satisfied with the slightly excessive sweet onion sauce on her bread.  She insisted on extra spinach saying, “as much as you can get on there.”  I never heard her say “please” or “thank you” once. 

When the man got to my order, I felt awkward.  How do I follow this up?  Should I say “please” for every item I ask for and then “thank you” as he places each slice of meat, cheese, and vegetable on my sandwich?  (I decided that was a bit extreme)  Is there some way I can remedy this rudeness of the customer in front of me?  I feel bad for what happened.  I am a customer, just like this controlling lady in front of me was.  In some way, I felt responsible for her actions.

There are a lot of non-Christians who encounter Christians who leave a bad taste in their mouths.  These Christians are like the customers who go through Subway with some idea that they are “above” the workers (non-Christians), have the right to point out every flaw, and make “strong suggestions” as to how they can better their performance.  As I encounter non-Christians I tend to panic.  Thoughts stream through my mind: What experiences have they had with other Christians?  Have they been treated poorly by a church or Christian?  What should I do to let them know I am not going to judge them?  Should I be overly nice?  Should I do something to let them know I’m a “good guy?” 

The bottom line is this: be yourself. 

The more anxious I became about how I was going to order my sandwich after little-miss-know-it-all, the more awkward and burdened my conversation with this poor worker became.  In the same way, as I get myself worked up about encounters with non-Christians, my interactions become fake and impersonal.  If I can just be myself and show them love, they will be thankful.

Romans 12:9 says, “Let love be genuine.”  So let’s be genuine in who we are.  Accept people for who they are, leave judgment to God, and forget about the rude customer who passed before you.  Chances are, if you are real with them and leave them with love and joy, they will remember you more than those who have not.