About three weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I was returning from a conference and frantically trying to locate a piece of baggage. The shuttle driver had mistakenly set my carry-on bag on the sidewalk in front of Chicago’s O’Hare airport. What made this especially frustrating was the fact that I was one of the few passengers who bothered to tip the guy.
Thankfully, due to heightened TSA security, the airport police quickly retrieved my suitcase and notified the Delta service agent, but not without first examining its contents. Of course, I had no problem with their search because the last thing I wanted to be carrying on board was contraband someone may have placed in it while out of my possession.
However, I must offer Mr. Shuttle Driver some consideration. He was on a very tight schedule. He had far too much baggage for the number of passengers and was coping with a bunch of tired, homesick women. They could care less whose luggage he sat on the sidewalk as long as they had their own. Deserving or undeserving, the driver probably needed all the tips and appreciation he could get.
In much the same way, we run through life on a tight schedule, carrying far more baggage than we ought to carry for our load capacity. Then to top everything, we have to cope with being surrounded by a gang of weary travelers who seem to have their minds on everything but what we think is really important. In the midst of it all, we get distraught and a bit irritated.
About that time, God slips us a tip that is far more than we deserve and whispers through the commotion:
“When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive—right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross” (Colossians 2:13–14).
Talk about a change in the course of events! God not only found us in our lost state, He freed us from all spiritual death threats, and canceled our staggering debt of sin through the cross of Christ. He graciously released us from Satan’s dominion of darkness and brought us into His kingdom of light. Now we have the opportunity to pass along this life-changing “tip” to others.
—Kay Horner, Executive Director
Awakening America Alliance
• Reflect on the glorious gift God has given through Christ. The distance between our sin and His grace is vast, yet He willingly condescended from high and lofty places to reach to us in our low estate. Remember your life before embracing Christ as Savior and God as your Father. Thank Him for His amazing grace and goodness to redeem you from destruction and crown you with His loving kindness and tender mercies.
• 1 John 4:17 says, “… as He is so also are we in this world.” Although He has given us the opportunity to be seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6), remember the importance of reaching others, who have not embraced His redeeming grace.
• Are you struggling in any area of your relationships with hurt and unforgiveness? Pray Colossians 3:12–13 over your life: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
Search for an opportunity today to show the undeserved love of Christ. It may be sharing the gospel or buying groceries for the stranger behind you in the cashier’s line. As you have been healed, ask God to open your eyes to every opportunity to reveal Jesus to others in a hurting world.
