Mr. Cruddy Christ Impersonator

My son is on the swim team and he had a swim meet this weekend. Yesterday while I was sitting on my butt watching the swim meet I heard over the loudspeaker that parents were needed to help out with timing the races. I got out of my lawn chair and lumbered over to the volunteer desk. When I got to the desk I announced to everyone that I was going to save the day by being one of the official timers. No one was impressed. Someone told me where to go, I took my post and I began my duties. It wasn't long before I was grumbling and complaining to myself. And because what I was feeling was so damned important, I began griping to the other parent I was working with.

"It's hot. It's raining. I'm getting splashed. Why hasn't anyone brought me some water or something to eat? Isn't anyone going to give us a break? Why hasn't anyone told me how wonderful I am to be a parent volunteer?"

Then came the last straw. One of the kids from the swim meet asked me a question. I told him I didn't have the answer. He looked at me and said, "You shouldn't be doing this if you can't answer questions!" I gave the kid my world famous "hairy eyeball" and said, "Dude, you need to learn how to talk with respect to adults!" The kid didn't walk away because he suddenly began respecting me. He walked away because I was being an official ass and dork.

Today as I write this post I am confirming something about myself. Whenever I volunteer at church, at the swim meet or at home, I feel that I deserve something. I want applause, ticker tape parades and my name in lights. At the swim meet while I was volunteering I was basically pissed because no one came over and bowed at my feet. Why shouldn't they. I'm so amazing. Look at me. I am so giving of my extremely valuable talents and time. I wasn't mad at the kid for being disrespectful of me. I was angry because no one put a crown on my head or knighted me. Today I feel bad about the kid I snapped at and the parent I was working with who today probably thinks I am a jerk.

Jesus came to this earth to serve and expected nothing in return. As a matter of fact, Jesus walked willingly to the cross and gave his life to save each and everyone of us.

Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage." (Matthew 20, The Message)

The last thing I thought about at the swim meet was serving others. I went to a swim meet this weekend and expected people to feed me grapes and rub my feet.

Just call me "Mr. Cruddy Christ Impersonator".

"If Ephesians says to imitate Christ, why do we look so much like the world?"---Todd Agnew

Want to see some other Cruddy Christ Impersonators? Check out this post from the Jesus Needs New PR blog.