Love Your Enemies, or Not

Tuesday night I found myself unexpectedly $49 and two cab fares lighter in the wallet as I spent the night at the Chicago O'Hare Motel 6, waiting out a snow storm.

You know the drill: cancel-cancel-delay-delay-cancel. Now it's 11:30pm.

Earlier, about 10pm, with the snow falling outside and tempers flaring around O'Hare, a boarding ramp closed on the last flite to Denver, just as it's supposed to, about ten minutes before liftoff.

Two minutes later, breathless Middle-Aged White Professional rushed in and insisted the ramp be re-opened for him. Arab Gate Attendant, maybe 28 years old, politely refused.

You can guess the result. MAWP berates and shouts down AGA like an abusive husband. I guess his logic is that closing the gate on time as instructed by the airline and TSA should be blamed on AGA.

Shoot the messenger.

I was proud of AGA. He handled it like a pro. He didn't cower, cave or even fight back. He simply stood his ground. The gate was definitely closed.

Similar to MAWP,  many of us church people think little of firing off a gruff word or tirade at employees in restaurants, gas stations, public transit.

Yet, they are made in the image of God. Our chance to be different than the secular public awaits us each time we go face to face with a sales clerk.