Have you ever been somewhere or met someone and they really tried to come across as modern, or “hip,” as I like to say? The other day I went to a pretty swanky restaurant and when I went to the men’s room (like I do every place I go) I had to flush the toilet myself, turn the faucet on myself, dispense my own soap and then get my own paper towels. I didn’t really think much of it at the time (key word is “at the time”).
A couple of days later, I went to breakfast with my family at an Amish/Mennonite restaurant. So, as I always do, I went to the restroom. After reading the Amish Gazette, which was posted on the wall above the urinal (I know TMI), I stepped away and there was an auto flush. I thought, “Nice.” I went to the sink and there was an auto faucet, soap dispenser and even an automatic paper towel dispenser. Who would have thought… in an Amish joint?
Needless to say, I was surprised by the modernisms in a place where I didn’t expect to find any, which made me think how disappointed I was in the un-modernism of a place where they should have been (the swanky place).
Do you think we ever surprise people? What if someone knows we are a Christ-Follower? If they get to know us at all, they compare us to their idea of what a Christ-Follower should be. I know this has happened to me, especially when I was a pastor. To be honest I don’t know how many times I have heard, “Never expected that from a pastor.” Not that I was doing things a pastor shouldn’t, but it was that people had a preconceived notion of what a Christ Follower (Christian) is suppose to be; that happened to be different than what they experienced from me.
I sometimes think if people really got to know us they would be a little surprised at what they find (either good or bad), like I was by my visit to the Amish (indoors) restroom.
Peace!
Andy
