People-phobia

I've noticed it on the train. When I come into school, I take a local commuter train into Union Station and then the Metro up a few stops to CUA. On the train, this is how it works. The first ones on go directly to the upper level of the train, where every seat is a single. Once that fills up, then the doubles seats on the main level begin to fill - but always only one person to a seat. (Unless, of course, they know each other.) Then once all the seats have at least one person, folks will sit with someone else.

That's all fine and well. Even makes some sense, I suppose. But here's what I've noticed in addition to that: if someone is sitting in a double with someone else and a single opens up, they will take the trouble to gather their bags and all their belonging and move to that single seat, so they do not have to sit next to another person - even if it is only for a single stop! (It happened to me three times on my trip in today! And yes, I showered!)

To me, that's strange, bordering on the phobic. Now, that's a word that's tossed around a lot these days - if you speak against anyone's lifestyle you're automatically "phobic." But here perhaps it fits better, for why? Why move? What's the problem with staying in that seat for another stop? Or perhaps it's just individualism run rampant. Are we not comfortable around other people anymore, to that extent?

And then I think of Jesus, who came to be with us - and not just sit next to us for a while, but to hang out with all the undesirables of the world. Folks like you and me. To talk with us, know us, take our burdens upon Himself, and die for us. The incarnation. Jesus in our flesh. And thank God that He did! That we might join that great multitude around the throne and the Lamb in heaven, from every people, tribe, nation, and language, and we won't care who's next to us! They are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Just something I was thinkin' about this morning . . .