And Then I Saw Jesus Part II

As we boarded the plane that night in St. Louis, we had no idea the experience that would unfold as we journeyed to Florida. Our flight had a transfer in Atlanta, and when we got on board it was packed. There were however a few open seats. Of which, one I took to sit by my wife. What we didn’t expect was a very drunk lady to sit next to Crystal as well. As the flight progressed it was obvious that she was wasted and not all there at the moment. She showed no consideration for Crystal sitting next to her as she threw herself all over the seat and occasionally sliding herself into crystal’s as well. Then to our shock as the flight attendant came around taking drink orders, both Crystal and I tried to make eye contact with her to make sure she didn’t give this poor girl any more alcohol. But, the eye contact never happened, so here she now sat with another small bottle of liquor in her hand and she put it down quickly. Crystal made some small talk to see how she was, but you could sense that people in the seats around us were not having much compassion for this lady.

The turning point came next. We were about 25 minutes out of Fort Myers when this lady gathered her things, got up from her seat and went to the front of the plane. We saw her talk to the flight attendant and then attempt to return to her seat. She stumbled down the aisle and passed us up almost falling down. Once in her seat, Crystal reached out and touched her arm and asked her, “are you okay?”

This poor woman had literally thought the flight was over and she was getting off the plane. She was now not only drunk but quite embarrassed. Crystal continued to talk to her, ask about her plans in Florida and occasionally would rub her back just as she does to our daughters. The woman expressed great appreciation to Crystal for just talking to her.

And then I saw Jesus….this time in my wife. In a moment when it was so easy for everyone to look away in disgust, my wife reached down into this woman’s painful world and showed her love…which is what I believe Jesus would have done as well. And not only did I see Jesus, but I believe others on that flight who had been so distracted by this woman’s drunkenness noticed Crystal as well. We are called to show the love of God to all, not just those that make us comfortable. That night I saw my wife demonstrate the love of God in an absolutely beautiful way.