Lent: Journey Through the Holy Land – Part 3

On October 19th I found myself in the Kansas City airport ready to take on what I should have regarded as a terrifying adventure.

The reality of it all really didn’t start until I was packing my suitcase, printing out my final documents and wrapping up notes at work. In fact, it didn’t really hit until I was in the airport fighting back tears as I said goodbye to my parents outside of security. This was it. All of a sudden it was scary and real. Was I crazy? I didn’t know anyone. How did I get to this moment?

All these weeks and months leading up to this moment people had asked me if I was excited. Of course! I love to travel and was eager to deepen my relationship with Christ. They asked who else was going with me and I would respond with “oh three pastors that I’ve briefly met and a bunch of people I don’t know.” And let me tell you – a lot of people responded with a slightly dropped jaw of shock. I don’t blame them. They were expecting me to say that my parents were going too or that I had a friend going with me. But neither of those were the case. It was just me. Me and a group of strangers.

But as soon as I made it to the gate, God was there. Immediately other members of the group welcomed me and embraced me as one of their own. 

Strangers. Some faces I’d never seen before and some I saw once or twice at our informational meetings. But nonetheless, strangers.

And these people didn’t just embrace me as one of their own. They sought me out. They pulled me in. They loved me.

It was an unreal experience. It’s like Jesus was whispering to me:

“You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Matthew 8:26

Well let’s see. I don’t know anyone. I have social anxiety. I don’t know anyone. I don’t know anyone. Oh and did I mention I don’t know anyone???

One moment I’m sitting nervously a few rows away awkwardly putting on my EO name tag and the next moment people are asking me which campus I go to and what service I attend. They are asking what led me to go on this journey and sharing stories about themselves with me. They are offering me homemade cookies and to watch my stuff if I need to use the restroom or fill up my water bottle. 

Y’all these people were doing exactly what Jesus calls us to do. 

I hadn’t even boarded a plane yet to the Holy Land and God was teaching me what Christian community looks like. 

Over the years, I’ve been intrigued by Christian community – specifically what it would look like if we took pointers from Jesus.

Personally, I love community around a table. There is something about breaking bread with people, in which you can be honest and conversational. Perhaps it’s because you can take a load off, sit down, unwind and relax. Perhaps it’s because it is familial and you begin to trust each other. Perhaps it is because you can meet people where they are around a table.

Or perhaps it is because Jesus displayed great community, humility, and love for others through breaking bread.

Although we weren’t sharing in a meal at the airport, it felt like we were. It soon felt like I was sitting around a table with people I had known for more than just a few minutes.

Jesus sought people out. He found people in their darkest moments, in their despair, and He was in community with them. Jesus spent His time with outcasts, thieves, tax collectors, prostitutes and all the like. He showed us what it looks like to love our neighbor.

It’s not easy. We are comfortable in our bubbles. We love the people we know. But what if we love the people we don’t know? What if we emulated what Jesus did? What if we embrace people without reservation? How different would that world look..

This journey has been a lot of self reflection for me. I have to continually remind myself of the small impactful situations that I encountered – like those first few hours in the airport. What if I choose to embrace others with the same love and hospitality I was embraced with? What if I choose to show God’s love without reservation? How can I love the people that Jesus loves?

It’s not easy. And just reflecting on those questions doesn’t make a difference. You can question and reflect and wonder all you want. But we can’t make a difference without action. All it takes is one small action. One person.

Over the next 44 days, who can you show God’s love to? Who can you embrace without reservation? How can you be in community with the people around you? How can we love the people Jesus loves?

God, I pray that we may reflect on how we are sharing Your love. Soften our hearts to love Your people without hesitation or reservation. Let Jesus be our example for how we should be in community with those around us. God help us to start with one small action towards one person. We may not get it right the first time. We may fail, we may be discouraged, we may be scared. Lord help us to step outside our comfort zones and turn strangers into neighbors. Let Your light and love shine through us. Amen.

Abbey Jo