Interruptions.​

You want to know my biggest pet peeve?

It's being interrupted. I can't stand being in the middle of something and then pulled in a different direction whether that's in my words or my actions. I don't like it when I'm listening to my favorite song and someone interrupts it with their own interjection. Heck, I don't like it if I see the text bubble pop up before I'm done typing my own message. 

I don't know what it is about them, but I don't handle them well. My ears get warm, my face turns red, and my hands get a little sweaty. Usually, I have a snippy comment locked loaded and ready to pull the trigger post interruption. 

Then last week as I'm listening to my favorite podcast on a walk the host says something that stops me dead in my tracks. 

"The true version of yourself is who you are when you get interrupted. "

I laughed out loud and asked myself, 'Am I really a hot headed, short tempered, quick to speak... uh oh. '

If you would ask my endearing husband what top three words he would use to describe me, I can guarantee you that missing from that list would be patient, level headed, or even tempered. (You're off the hook for that one hunny, it's called self awareness.) In my justification of trying to decide who in the world likes being interrupted, I came to one conclusion, and his name is Jesus. 

In Luke 5 Jesus is teaching to a crowd in a building when 2 men literally crawl through the ceiling to get to him and ask for help. 

How about that moms, you're enjoying your morning coffee when your children bust through dry wall just to get to you. I bet it feels like that sometimes. 

Or in Mark 5, Jesus spends the morning healing a demon possessed man only to set out on a boat to go to the other side of a lake,  to be greeted by yet another crowd hoping to gain something from him.

Ever feel like you put out one fire just to move on to the next one?

Last one, and I'm sure you've heard this, but when  Jesus  fed 5,000 you've been missing part of the story. 

Verse 30 of Mark 5
"The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. Then Jesus said, "Let's go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile." He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn't even have time to eat."

Spoiler alert: They do not get to rest. 

The rest of the story goes on to say that while they are sneaking off to said quiet place, they get recognized and the disciples look to Jesus and ask what the heck they are supposed to do with all these people. Jesus's response. 

"You feed them." 

This is hilarious. You have 12 grown men, who are servants to Jesus. Who come back so pleased with themselves for the teaching they've done all day. Jesus finally lets them off the hook for their lunch break, and just as they are about to start eating, they look up and Jesus gives them a little "ahem."  

Jesus saw the huge crowd and he did not turn away, he did not get angry, he did not ask them to leave, instead "he had compassion on them," and told the disciples to get busy, and the rest is history. 

Jesus got interrupted all. the. time. 

His response? 

He healed, he taught, and he fed. He had compassion. 

Interruptions in Jesus's life were not getting in the way of anything. In fact, he used them as opportunity. Some of his biggest and most well known miracles are a result of him being interrupted by someone. 

The true version of yourself is who you are when you're interrupted. 

Do my words heal after being interrupted? 

Do I bring value to the conversation after being interrupted?

Do I feed others with a life giving presence after being interrupted? 

Am I Jesus? 

No, no, no, and definitely not no, not even close. 

But could I try a little harder?

I sure could. 

Right now, all of us are experiencing a major interruption. Some of our lives are completely on hold, our plans have been put on pause, and any sense of a schedule has been thrown out the window. It's like Jesus tapped you on the shoulder and said "Ahem?" 

In His world, whether the interruption was small, or something like being expected to feed 5,000 people, Jesus taught. He healed, and he fed them with compassion. 

So, who are you when you get interrupted?