THE REAL WORLD

     For 22 years I had the privilege of being a children’s pastor. It was the greatest job in the world. I worked with Christians; I sat in my Christian office in my Christian chair at my Christian desk and would sometimes play Christian music on my IPod. I went to staff meetings with the other pastors and we began our meetings with a time of prayer and discussed Christian topics during the meeting.  During my 22 years I never heard cursing, I never had to deal with coworkers being drunk or on drugs and I knew I was in a safe environment. I also had the privilege of speaking in a school chapel (yes, Smithtown Christian to be exact) once a month during the school year and then after work was completed at 5 p.m. I went to my Christian house.

     In 2008, with money being tight I needed to make some extra money so I got a job driving a limo. It was a small company and the owner attended my church. I didn’t make a ton of money doing it but it did help with our expenses. I had maybe 3 or 4 jobs a week depending on how busy it was and the down side was many of these jobs were at 4 a.m. 95% of them were to and from airports. I will never forget one couple I had to pick up. They lived in Westbury and it was the day after Mother’s Day. I’m going to guess they were probably in their late 70’s. I arrived at their home at 5 a.m., grabbed their luggage and put it in the trunk of the town car. The husband and wife climbed into the back of the town car and then all hell broke loose. The wife said “Oh my, I forgot the camera honey.” The husband turned to her and began screaming at her on the top of his lungs. I think I heard every curse word known to mankind in the span of two minutes. One sentence without the swearing was “How could you be so stupid and forget the camera. Are you for real?” The husband climbed out of the car, slammed the door and went into his house to get the forgotten camera. The wife was in the back seat trembling. I didn’t know what to do. Call the Police? Tell the couple I wouldn’t drive them after that episode? When he returned to the car should I have told him “I’m sorry but you shouldn’t speak to your wife that way sir, not in my Town Car Buster!!” Maybe leave the husband home alone and let the wife have a peaceful vacation without Mr. Hot Head? The husband climbed back into the town car, threw the camera at his wife and let out a big grunt. You would think the ride to JFK International Airport would be silent but it was not. The whole entire ride the husband lectured his wife on her being irresponsible and questioned her intellect as well as her purpose on this earth if you know what I mean. As we pulled up to a busy terminal at JFK I opened the trunk, handed them their luggage and as they walked away you could still hear the husband lecturing his wife.

     This was not an everyday occurrence in the life of a limo driver. It did however show me what the real world is in today’s day and age. After serving at a church for so long I was definitely sheltered from what took place in our world. Don’t get me wrong. Being in a Christian environment is great! I loved being a pastor and doing full time ministry. I’m also very glad my children all experienced attending a Christian school. My two eldest got to graduate! Being away from working in a church office for so many years, you really do get to see the world for what it’s worth. It saddens me the state that our world is in. It’s almost as if there is no shame anymore. People say what they want and do what they want. Even though that episode with that couple was almost 12 years ago, it still shows you how angry people can get and how this man had no shame putting his wife down with a total stranger driving him to the airport who heard every word he said to her.

     

     I believe God is calling every believer to be a light in the darkness. We all run into people like Mr. Hot Head all the time. It’s a shame that the “Real World” doesn’t understand how much joy they can get in knowing Jesus Christ in a personal way. I realized how spoiled I was working in a Christian environment and feeling “protected.” I am also grateful that I get to see the “Real World” every single day. It has given me a burden for the lost and a heart to want to reach them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I also believe the church needs to regain that burden for lost souls and not stay too comfortable in their comfort zone churches. Let’s shine our lights brightly so that the “Real World” will see Jesus in us!

SEE YOU NEXT TIME!!