Annoyance vs. Gospel vs. Love

Chipotle:


Situation Number 1:


It was pretty crowded. We got seats along the low wall next to 2 moms and their 3 little kids and a baby. The little girls kept coming over to us and looking at us.. and ..the moms were doing nothing about it. They were in their own worlds eating their lunches. The kids would go over to other tables and also were giving high fives to some fire fighters in line. Some Petco employees came in and sat down at a table on the other side of the moms and kids. The littlest girl went over there and she leaned on the lady and then was resting on her shoulder and it was like.. these kids had NO SENSE of personal boundaries. I was really looking down my nose at those moms. To allow their kids to continuously invade our space and interrupt us and others and for the moms to not care. To me it was wrong and inconvenient.



Here are my thoughts:


I had heard once that America does a bad job of applying "Love your neighbor as yourself." We teach our kids not to talk to strangers (and while I understand the reasoning.. There are two sides to be considered). We say, "Hi. How are you?" and all responses are "Good." We are offended when someone invades our personal space. We are unfriendly. We do what is convenient for ourselves. We cater to ourselves and please ourselves. We do not reach out. Was it really that big of a deal that the kids were by us while we ate? Was it really wrong for them to go visit the Petco people? Was it wrong for the little girl to lean on the Petco lady? Was it wrong that I got offended? Why was I convicted? Was it wrong for me not to say "hi" to the kids as they stared? When I choose to get offended or even not so much offended but ANNOYED I begin to one by one shut down my opportunities to give the gospel. The gospel is about strangers. The gospel is uncomfortable. If I'm bugged by a 3 year old while I eat my tacos something is WRONG. I prayed and asked the Lord to forgive me. I will do better next time loving strangers. I will do better to not fall into the American Dream. I will choose to love my neighbor. I want to make sure I see them in Heaven and not worry about such petty things as having a bad lunch experience.


Romans 13:8 - 10


Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.