Want to Get Away?

Several years ago, Southwest Airlines ran a series of television commercials in which people found themselves in very embarrassing situations (one featured a woman fixing her eye contacts while looking into a restroom mirror ... only to realize once she could see that the restroom she was in was a Men's Room!!! -- for another example, click here).

This morning, as I was reading the newspaper, I ran across a story that immediately reminded me of Southwest Airlines' commercials. Earlier this week, the final movement of a New York Philharmonic Orchestra performance was interrupted by the distinctive "Marimba" iPhone ring tone. When the iPhone first began to ring, maestro Alan Gilbert gave a glaring look of displeasure in the direction of the ringing iPhone. When it continued ... he made a verbal request to silence the phone. When that failed, he stopped the orchestra entirely. He then said to the phone's owner, according to WQXR's classical music blog: "You have a phone ... Fine, we’ll wait." At that point, the audience applauded loudly ... and many voiced their desire to see the culprit thrown out of the concert hall! According to the guilty concert goer, he had just been given the iPhone the day before by his employer. He thought he had silenced the iPhone. What he did not realize that even when the phone is on vibrate, if the alarm app goes off, it will sound!  Oops!  Hey buddy ... want to get away? 

I can relate to this guy's embarrassment. This past Tuesday I attended a meeting with a group of pastors. Shortly after the individual leading the meeting began to pray, my iPhone blared forth a song. This surprised me as I knew I had the phone on vibrate. So ... I tried to turn it off ... and after several seconds was successful (or so I thought!). Moments later ... as the prayer continued ... my phone once again blared out in song!  This time I was successful in quieting the phone. But ... talk about a moment when I wanted to get away! 

Life is often like this. It does not often work the way we want it to work. And this should come as no surprise. We live in a broken world that is becoming more broken by the moment (Romans 8:21). When life's brokenness causes us embarrassment or grief or heartache or stress of any kind ... we must remind ourselves of the promise Jesus offers to those who follow Him: 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33)

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj