“I don’t wait for no one.” This is what a grumpy old man said to me after I thanked him for waiting for me and holding the door as I walked into the restaurant. I followed his response with, “You wait for no one? Not even the Lord.” To that he said, “Son, that’s a different story.”
As the waitress sat me in my booth, I had a clear path to observing this man at his table. His back was to me, so that helped. His arms and legs were crossed as if he was ironically impatiently waiting for someone. Then what looked like his son walked in the door. The supposed son had tattoos on all exposed skin, with a rough-looking beard and some clothes that had some logos on them as if he was in a recovering center. I just want to point out that all of my assumptions are just assumptions. I do not know this man or the potential son that just walked in. Anyway, the older man does not stand up to greet the son but continues staring at his menu. The son sits down and doesn’t even look at the older man. They sat there for a good while, just avoiding eye contact. Eventually, the old man addressed the son, and throughout the conversation, the son’s head hung low, showing signs of shame and disappointment. Once again, I do not know what was actually happening, but I couldn’t help but think of many children of God are assuming this is how it looks when we approach God after father. Perspective is powerful.
Imagine this scenario. Jesus is waiting with his arms crossed at your kitchen table for you to wake up and meet him. He looks very disappointed and extremely impatient. You approach the table with a lot of regret. You haven’t spent time with him. His word has not been on your heart. Entertainment has been way more enjoyable than practicing the presence of God. Sin has been tripping you up day after day. You feel shame and at the same time have lost hope of correcting everything. You pull your chair out as Jesus sits there avoiding eye contact. He makes you speak first. All you can muster up is, “I’m so sorry, Lord. I have failed in so many ways. I know you are disappointed in me, and I will do whatever it takes to get better. His eyes look you up and down. Maybe he is evaluating your new tattoos, or is thinking, “Here is the prodigal.” All you really want is to avoid this morning meeting as much as possible.
That scenario is a straight lie from the pit of hell. It’s a movie scene full of heresy.
If I could create the scene by only using language Jesus said in scripture, it would go something like this.
Jesus is super excited to see you! Before you even meet the host, he’s running towards you like you’re the most amazing person in the world. He gives you the biggest hug ever! As you both head to your table, he tells everyone around that you’re his child. He pulls out the chair for you and rubs your shoulders before he sits himself down. Then, with a huge smile, he tells you he loves you and thanks you for coming. As you sit there feeling like a total failure because you know you’ve been avoiding him, you’re tempted to list all your apologies and shortcomings. But he says, “Hey, we don’t need to start with those. How are you doing, my child?” It might be hard to say anything good because you’ve always thought that Jesus only cares about you confessing your sins every morning and that if you don’t admit your mistakes, you can’t talk about anything else. Sure, there should be time for confession, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a big, emotional dump-it-all session. Jesus just wants to have breakfast with you. Can you see his face? He’s not a grumpy old man disappointed in his child.
My friend walked into the restaurant for us to eat together, and I stood up and gave him a big hug. I laughed while doing it because I just wanted to do what I thought Jesus would have done. I didn’t want to be a grumpy old man. Just like I didn’t know who the old man and son were or if they were even related, I believe we as sons and daughters can give others siblings in Christ a bad impression of what Jesus is like by how we talk about our time with Him. Perception is powerful. A friend told me that God told her that if she thought of him as a strict disciplinarian, then that’s how she would see him. Those who see him as a grumpy old man who wants you to confess that you haven’t spent time with him will end up unintentionally preaching a bad gospel story that others will catch. You don’t want to pass that around.
Start your day with a special breakfast with Him. Feel His warm embrace and ask Him all the questions you’ve been wanting to know. Listen attentively as He shares stories about His kingdom and the things He loves. Pay attention to His encouraging words and affirmations for your life. Hear His promises and learn His special language. He’s the source of healing balm for your struggles. Don’t hesitate to confess your challenges to Him. Remember, we have the privilege of sharing meals with the King. This should make us humble, not make us feel guilty or ashamed. If you miss the meeting with Him, don’t let it discourage you. Instead, make it a priority to reconnect with Him the next day.