When Comfort Becomes Uncomfortable

She rides the bus to school in the morning. Five days until Christmas, nothing new for her. Christmas is just another day. Another day of fighting, of pain, of hurting. Another day of being invisible. She rides the bus to school, to the school that you work at, but she knows you don't see her.
You drive your SUV to school in the morning. Five days until Christmas, time is getting short. So many presents to buy, so many things to do, so little time. You'll be happy when Christmas is over, and life goes back to normal. You drive your SUV to school, the same school she goes to, but you never see her.
Fast-forward. It's Christmas Eve, and you attend the service at your church. It's title? "A Simple Christmas." Your organic food choices and homemade gifts reflect the simplistic approach you've taken to this holiday season. But what about her? Her simplistic Christmas is nonexistent, because her Christmas doesn't exist. It doesn't stand a chance on the streets, in the cold, winter air. As you sing songs of merriment and put an extra five dollar bill in the offering plate, you remember her face. For once, you can see her eyes, and her pain, and it's a haunting vision.
All around you, people are singing Joy to the World. They are decking the halls, and walking in this winter wonderland. You, on the other hand, are left wondering. What is this day like for her? Where is she, how is she? You turn on the news. Christmas Day news is of charity, and love. As the anchors talk to the director of the local homeless shelter, you see her face in the back of your mind. Those pain filled eyes just won't leave you alone. It's then that you realize He's not going to leave you alone until you do something.
It's then that you find that Jesus is pretty good at wrecking lives.
It's hard to live a life of comfort when the faces of the homeless stare at us day to day. It's difficult to spend our money carelessly, when we are constantly reminded of those who have no money to spend. It's easy for Jesus to wreck our comfortable lives, but it's difficult for us to respond.
In his book, "The Irresistible Revolution," Shane Claiborne introduces this phenomenon of lives wrecked by Jesus. He talks about "when comfort becomes uncomfortable." Claiborne speaks of how he grew up in a life of comfortable religion. His faith was never challenged. Being a Christian was just the cool thing to do. A lot of people in this country have the same story. I know I do.
There are so many who have so much less than I do—in this country, and in other places. Yet, I tend to think that my family is poor; that we have nothing. I take for granted the blessings God has given me—or I did, until someone put "The Irresistible Revolution" in my hands. This book has opened my eyes to a world that I don't see often. The world of poverty, in the slums of America. It's shown me that there are so many, with so little, and I need to do something about it. I need to be the hands and feet of a living, loving God who won't stand for poverty or pain for His children.
As this new year begins, I think I'll see life a bit differently. Comfort has become uncomfortable to me, because there are too many who don't live in comfort. Jesus has wrecked my comfortable life, and I can't hide my eyes from the faces of the needy anymore.
What about you? Maybe Jesus will wreck your life too, this year. Just look at the faces around you, my friends. See their eyes. Can you stay comfortable?