“You’re killing me, Smalls!” Everyone knows this wonderful quote from the classic movie, “The Sandlot.”

Too often, I say this.  But not with a smile.  Let me explain.

I’m sitting in Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport waiting for my next flight. How many times in my life have I sat in these gate areas waiting for “the next flight?”

As I stood in the aisle of the plane waiting to disembark from “the previous flight” earlier today, I stood thinking to myself how I really don’t enjoy flying anymore. Between my more than 20 years as a missionary to Europe, other ministry, and family travel I’ve taken far more than my share of flights, so flying is nothing new.

But the frustrations and aggravations of travel are new. I remember a time when air travel was a pleasure: the pace was comfortable and the cabins were roomy, the services were many and the limitations were few, and these security checks upon checks were unnecessary.

Today, travel by air means more flyers and flights, bigger airports and longer lines, hurrying and waiting, maze-like security and invasive body scans, shrinking luggage allowances and smaller seating spaces. It all gives me the urge to say “moooooo” as I follow the rest of the cattle in front of me.

The uniforms pushing and pulling you, asking you to hurry up, to sit down, to stand aside, to fit in, to get out, to move over, and to slide under . . .

Of course I’m kidding about all of this. Well, most of it.

Traveling by air really is more difficult today than it was 25 years ago. It’s all of these small things.

And while some of the aggravations are imposed from the outside, these are really not the causes of my frustration so much as they are the triggers.

Still waters run deep. Yes, they can be troubled, but it takes a lot to do it.

Epiphany: I am far too easily troubled by far too trivial things. Small things.

Inquiry: what does this epiphany say about me?

Answer: My flight today wasn’t an external aggravation imposed on me, it was a mirror of me and a heart that is far too “me” and too little “He.”

He must increase, yes, but the second half of the character equation says that I must decrease. I know I’m straining the exegesis here, but the application certainly fits: Jesus must increase in me but it can only happen as the “not like Jesus me” decreases. And not ultimately, but immediately, dies as in dead.

One hundred years ago a trip from Orlando, FL to Ft. Wayne, IN involved a trip that took weeks, a trip by horse or cart over dirt roads (or in mud), sleeping under the stars (or rain), with no food cart or court (or even, gasp, for some [not me], a Starbucks – ), evading not speed traps but thieves.

And I’m inconvenienced because the sandwich shops are all back up the hallway that I just walked down.

A friend once told me, “Whenever situations and people can ruin our day, it’s not these things that’s the problem, the problem is our relationship with Jesus.”

Thanks, friend.

But, do you know what? My friend was right. And he still is right today: If Jesus really is who the Bible says He is, if He does in us all the Bible says can do us, and He is all we sing about so passionately on Sunday, then Jesus really is our abundant, overwhelming and irresistible supply of perfect peace (Isaiah 26.3), perfect contentment (Philippians 4.11), perfect patience (Colossians 1.11; James 1.3-4), perfect joy (Romans 15.3) and perfect love (I John 2.5).

It’s time for Him to increase in me. It’s time for the not-like-Jesus part of me to decrease and die, not so that things won’t bother me any more, but so that I can fulfill God’s purposes in creating me, live to the praise of His glory and please Him in all things.

Now that I’ve identified the dark places in my heart and life, when are these gate personnel going to start boarding us? This is taking forever. . .

You’re killing me, Smalls!

_____________

NOTE: Journey Pastoral Coaching provides pastoral coaching to Millennial ministers.

Saddled with large student debt, just beginning to set up homes and start families, and serving in low paying first and second positions, Millennials are those who most desire but can least afford to pay for pastoral coaching.

So we offer it to them at NO COST: Our members do not PAY for coaching; they EARN it.

We are able to do so through the faithful and generous gifts of friends who want to see young leaders not only enter the ministry, but remain in the ministry. If you or your church would like to help Millennial ministers in 21 US states and 5 nations build strong for a lifetime in ministry, please click here to contact us by email or to support Journey monthly or with your one-time gift. Thank you.

We also invite you to click and subscribe to our twice-monthly blogs at journeypastoralcoaching.com

“In the early years when I was becoming a pastor, I needed a pastor.” 

 Eugene H. Peterson, The Pastor: A Memoir