Author's Note: It's interesting how things seem funnier in your mind or when you say them, rather than when you write them. The title of this entry is, of course, a play on a song title from the movie "Top Gun," and I won't tell you how many years it took me to figure out what they were actually singing. Anyway, on with the entry.
Yesterday at Church I decided to do something I've talked about for a while. Speaking with the chairman of services, I instructed him to have the congregation sing "Amazing Grace," going around to welcome each other, shaking hands and hugging as we often do at our Church. Then, I threw in the monkey wrench: when the song was over, everyone was to grab their stuff and sit in a different pew. Yes, it was officially "New Pew Sunday."
I had hinted that I wanted to do this sometime, and a week before I used an illustration in a sermon which highlighted the need for "New Pew Sunday." I said, "Without going to the doors and looking outside, I would guarantee that I could tell at least 90% of you exactly where you parked your cars this morning, because it's where you always park your car." I went on to say that had I not already seen those in attendance, I could close my eyes and tell them exactly where they were sitting. While this is sometimes good when it comes to figuring out who is and is not in a worship service, it shows well the truth that we are, by nature, creatures of habit. I went on to say that as creatures of habit we often fall into a rut without even realizing it, and that sometimes it's a good thing to get out of those "us-shaped indentations" we've made in OUR pew.
Having been in Church since I was four days old, having grown up in the home of my minister-grandfather, and having been a minister in my own right for fifteen years, I have learned that one of the most dangerous things you can do in a church is mess with where a person sits. The number of God-fearing, fellowship-loving, Christ-like believers who turn into less-than-cordial individuals when someone has invaded their pew is more than disturbing. I've seen it many times, but my grandfather had a great anecdote on the subject. He said he was visiting a church during a revival, and noticed someone standing right next to him, looking down with a pretty angry look. "Can I help you?" he asked the lady. She said, "You might not know it, but this is my seat." He said to her, "Well, I'm sorry. I'm a visitor here tonight. Would you be so kind as to point out a seat that DOESN'T belong to anyone? I'll be happy to sit there." This from a so-called Christian.
"That's MY pew. Everybody knows that. I've sat there for twenty years." That is the problem. Many people just "sit there" for years and years, never doing anything different, never stepping out, content to sit in their comfort zone and go through the motions. But the problem with staying in a comfort zone is that a comfort zone is, by definition, a specific area. If you stay in a comfort zone, you will never get anywhere. You simply stay in one spot. Allow me to illustrate this point by giving you some definitions of the word "zone" from dictionary.com.
ZONE:
- An area or a region distinguished from adjacent parts by a distinctive feature or characteristic.
- A section of an area or territory established for a specific purpose, as a section of a city restricted to a particular type of building, enterprise, or activity
- (in verb form) To surround or encircle with or as if with a belt or girdle.
These really put into perspective the inherent problems with a comfort zone (and to make another play on the title of this entry, a comfort zone is truly a highway to a danger zone). Applying this spiritually is something that all of us need to do, from the pastor to the parishioner. Our comfort zone becomes the area in which we live that becomes distinguished from all the parts around us. The distinctive characteristic is us; we no longer fit in with the plan of the Lord, with the purpose for which He created us.
Moving to the second definition listed above, one word stands out: restricted. Our comfort zone restricts us to limited existence. Yes, it is comfortable because we've molded our space, our zone, to fit us. But who we are becomes limited as well. Our activities become habits, the sphere of our life becomes smaller and smaller, our path becomes a rut or worse, a hole. We become sectioned, set apart from others, and we never move at all.
Then the last one, when something is "zoned" (verb form). "To surround or encircle with or as if with a belt or girdle." That is a great description of the comfort-zoned Christian existence. A belt or girdle is meant to be restrictive, to hold something in place, whether it is clothing or, as in my case, the stomach. The belt tightens, holds, and if worn for a long time, begins to hurt. So in effect, a comfort zone soon becomes less than comfortable, and the longer you stay there, the worse it gets. We stay because of habit, not because of comfort; we stay out of fear of anything different or fear of failure rather than out of necessity.
So it is time for all of us to look at our comfort zone. If we have one, it might be good to step out. Even if it is sitting in a different pew for a service, it might help us see things a little different way. You don't have to be out of your comfort zone long to make a big difference. If you will take the time and make the effort, to take an exit off of the comfort zone highway even briefly, you might make all the difference in the world.
Think about it.
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