Gotta Be Ready

On Gentry in Tyler, heavy traffic, two flat "things" blow out of the back of a pickup.  Driver turns around, returns, parks in the left turn lane, and scoots back to retrieve the items.  It takes two hands, and he needs to run to clear traffic.

However, he is very "stylish" with the trademark way-too-low pants.  Lookin' GOOD.  Dragging the ground.  Let's see now:  one hand for one flat thing, one hand for the other flat thing that blew away................ that leaves two elbows trying to hold up the pants.  If you bend a bit.  If the wind isn't blowing AT ALL.  If you bend your knees and try to walk on tip-toe.  One thing for sure, the man is NOT ready to run!

Apparently it was a "stylin'" day, for a few blocks later, a young woman was trying to cross a very busy street.  Not thin, but not overweight either, big hair, too-tight but stylish pants, and HEELS.  At least 3" high, maybe a little tight, and there she is in the middle "turn" lane as traffic whizzes by in both directions.  There's a break, and she begins to run across the open space.  She didn't fall, but traffic did stop for her.  She wasn't READY.  Lookin' GOOD, but like a fish out of water in that traffic.

Looking good - - - but not ready to play in the adult world of the street.  Looking good, a hallmark of our society, but not ready to really compete.  A big issue for some folks is finding a way to be competitive at a $25.00 per hour wage, in a world where the global industry standard is $10.00.  Somehow, not ready,  at least not in the real world.

Jesus told lots of parables about being ready.  The whole Book of Revelation is about being ready for life in a hostile world (usually the most ignored interpretation, since we would rather be "stylin'" than be ready).  It's about being faithful within the Holy Spirit guided fellowship, when that fellowship is under persecution.  It's not about jobs, it's about life itself.  It's not even about eternity, it's about the day-to-day realistic grind that absolutely demands integrity and authenticity.

Abundant life means being ready to live with reality, and God's guidance.  Look good or be good?  Big question for Christians today.