“You strain out a gnat, but swallow a camel.” I think we all understand what imagery Jesus was going for here, and his first century, Jewish audience certainly did as well. I can’t help but imagine these words being followed by a thick silence and a few of the religious elite blushing a new shade of crimson. “Did he really just say that?” It had to have been awkward. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but it is helpful to think that even the Son of Man orchestrated a few awkward scenarios of his own.
Such a thought is all too comforting for me, especially because the past 5 weeks of support raising has put me in all sorts of scenarios, with plenty of them being awkward! I’ve sat down and spoken with church members, family friends, widows, elders, pastors, deacons, cancer victims, CEOs, missionaries, chaplains, complete strangers, and entire church congregations, all in the midst of new cities, situations, and experiences!...did I mention I see myself as an introvert? Take an introvert, make it his full time job to interact with people, and you have the perfect recipe for a social experiment and awkward encounters. This has been one of the hardest, yet most joy filled, seasons of work I have ever embarked upon; however, for every time I feel like I was really able to convey my heart to someone, there has been just as many instances of me stammering over words, fidgeting uneasily in the doorway, and feeling like I’m on the verge of a stroke just picking up the phone to make a call.
Interestingly enough, there is one common factor I have seen play out within both awkward and smooth encounters this summer: the same God has shown up time and time again. God’s work that he is doing among the nations at this very moment far outweighs my own social anxieties. Despite whatever I bring to the table (just to clumsily knock it all over anyways), I have seen God grip hearts and move people to see his name made known. God is mobilizing his people to take the Gospel to the least reached, and for some reason he has seen fit to bring me along for the ride. It is most comforting to lean on the sufficiency of my Savior, it makes both the smooth and the awkward times perfectly flawless.
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” 1 Peter 5:7