Embarrassed or proud?

Last night my wife and I took a late evening flight to Atlanta. I bought some Gummy Bears at the airport prior to our flight and gave them to my wife to hold for me in her purse until we got on the airplane. Our earlier flight had been cancelled and we got another flight and due to the last minute booking were not sitting together, (she was in the seat directly behind me). The flight took off without incident and after about ten minutes I started craving those Gummy Bears. I turned around to ask my wife to give them to me and aghast I recoiled like I had seen a snake.

My wife was sound asleep with her head pointed straight up and her mouth gaping wide open. Sick! (Visualize that image; it reminded me of a crocodile sunning itself on the bank of a river with its mouth wide open.) It was a nauseous and disturbing sight. I wanted the Gummy Bears but I did not want anyone to know that I was with her, so I suffered in silence.

When the plane landed I decided that I would pretend like I was not with her nor did I know her until everyone who had observed her had departed the plane. I was able to get a little ahead of her in the line to de-plane. After exiting the plane I waited just outside and pretended that I was looking through my bag until I saw her exit the plane and begin walking towards me. As she approached, I quickly turned and led the way to baggage claim.

When we got to baggage claim I tried to continue my little charade looking through my bag for my car keys; however my wife kept coming over to me and trying to talk to me. She asked a question and I answered, “Ma’am?” and tried to pretend I did not know her. After looking at me like I was crazy she asked what I was doing. I confessed and told her what I had observed and that I was trying to pretend that I did not know her. Her response was to start laughing derisively and then she opened her mouth as wide as she could muster and started chasing me around baggage claim with her mouth gaping open. Imagine a sixty year old CEO trying to escape a wild woman with her mouth gaping wide open chasing him around baggage claim

This incident reminds me of how Christians sometimes avoid letting anyone know that they have faith in God. It is as though they are embarrassed by it somehow. Jesus warned us about this type of behavior, stating there would be a serious consequence for it. It is far more serious than the consequence that I underwent for denying knowing my wife. Jesus Christ paid a heavy price on a cross in order that we might live. Be proud to bow your head and say grace or otherwise pray in front of others, and do not be ashamed of being a Christian or talking about it to others. Tell others what a tremendous difference He makes in your life. I am very proud to be a Christian and do not care who knows it. How about you?

Matt. 10:33
But whoever denies Me before
men, him I will also deny before My
Father who is in heaven.