Meddling

I have had the wonderful privilege this week to reconnect with an old friend. Ok, the friend is not old - she's my age. She is the only woman in the world who has the privilege of saying that she accompanied me on my first date with my wife, but is not my wife. Let me explain.

You see, when I first asked my wife out on our first date, I had a couple of friends who were interested enough in me to be interested in this event for me. Imagine my surprise when I arrived at the Mom and Dad's Italian restaurant in Valdosta, Georgia, with my very shaky nerves and a date that was playing a little "hard-to-get" and found two of my best friends dining together "conveniently" on this same occassion.

I became so angry. I felt as though my personal life had been "meddled with." This weekend, my friend and I laughed about that event for the real humor that it was. The first date obviously took, and no amount of playing "hard-to-get" was able to deter me from ultimately marrying my lovely bride. However, it reminds me that when I felt inconvenienced by someone watching over my shoulder, it was really out of love and concern (and admittedly a little bit of nosey curiosity).

In the same way that my friend rather perterbed me on this special occasion with her (and her date's) presence, likewise God also rather annoys us sometimes. Yes, I said it. Sometimes, God is intrusive. Sometimes, God spies on us to see what we are doing. Actually, it's more often than sometimes. It's always. And it's a good thing, too.

I have a tendency to do things and say things that would embarass me if I really stopped to think that Jesus were looking over my shoulder. An expression of this idea became popular a few years ago in the "what would Jesus do" motif that seemed to permeate Christian bookstores in all kinds of various products. But rather than ask a question, I wonder if a statement isn't better.

Jesus is meddling.

As a matter of fact, Jesus ultimately was crucified largely because he meddled. He meddled in politics and public affairs. He meddled in the temple and religious affairs. He meddled in people and their personal affairs.

In reality, he has meddled with all of us. God meddled with all of us because he loves us enough to meddle. Just like the teenager who wishes his or her "uncool" parents would disappear for about six years, sometimes we wish God would disappear and let us live our sinful lives in peace.

Fortunately, God meddles. God shows up and makes the Holy Spirit's presence known. If we are living in relationship with our creator, we'll know that we've been meddled with.

And we'll be thankful.

So, if you feel inconvenienced today because God has stopped you in your tracks when you were walking the wrong way, consider it a gift of meddling and be thankful.