The travel gods decided this husband-and-wife duo needed to spend more time together.
Returning from Atlanta, where Missy and I attended the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly, the clouds opened up in Saint Louis and a hailstorm grounded our plane, leaving us stranded for the night.
The airlines assured us they could rebook us on the next available flight. “Excellent,” we thought to ourselves. “No harm, no foul,” we surmised.
Looking down at our phones, we realized the next available flight would be two days from when we were canceled. As much as we love and adore one another, we needed to find a way home, pronto.
We immediately began checking local rental car companies. No luck. The usual suspects had no availability.
Finally, we found a car. Well, a truck is more like it. Avis had a white Ram 1500 available.
Missy and I looked at each other, knowing the sight of two city kids driving this mammoth vehicle across Missouri and Oklahoma would provide great podcast fodder. Booked.
The following day, we woke up early to make our way to the rental car facility near the airport. Upon arrival, we noticed that a few hundred of our fellow travel companions made the same early morning choice.
We maneuvered our way to the end of the line, staring off into the distance, barely able to see the front door to the lobby. I’m exaggerating only a little.
It was hot, even in the early morning hours. We fully anticipated the swelling line would grow more frustrated and agitated by the hour. Heat and lines are not a good combination.
However, that is what surprised us. Instead of complaining and stirring the pot, the crowd talked with one another, people helped families with small children, couples shared travel plans and patiently waited for a small step towards Paradise (the name of one of the sales associates working the counter).
Besides one Christian minister getting bent out of shape because he had to be at the church in 30 minutes, everyone else waited patiently as the Avis staff fulfilled their responsibilities and tried to help the crowd as best they could.
After three hours, we made it into the friendly confines of the lobby, where the rush of frigid air from the air conditioner felt like the Holy Spirit’s much cooler cousin.
Watching each customer with curiosity, we internally cheered as they made their way from the counter with a set of car keys in hand. They had escaped, and we were so happy for our fellow line sojourners as they took the first few steps toward their intended destinations.
We were almost at the counter when something happened that reminded us about the generosity and kindness of most humans.
A young man made his way to the counter after the grueling line experience. He spoke with the salesperson, and it could have gone better by the looks of their conversation. Both the young man and the sales associate looked distraught. The young man even lowered his head.
Then, in either a burst of inspiration or desperation, the sales associate lifted her voice for the entire lobby to hear.
She cried out, “Excuse me. Excuse me. This young man is too young to rent a car through Avis. He is traveling to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Is there anyone going to Minneapolis willing to give him a ride? He just wants to get back home to his family.”
Just a few spots ahead of me, another young man raised his hand. “I am heading that way,” he began. “I’d be happy to help and give him a ride.”
“Sir,” the attendant beamed, “get yourself up here right now because you just got yourself an upgrade!”
The entire lobby broke into spontaneous applause. The line patted both young men on the backs, wishing them well on their journeys home. It was a wonderful reminder that humanity – well, most of us — still has decency and goodness at its core.
In addition, it solidified for Missy and me how great this younger generation truly is during difficult times. So often, younger generations get accused of self-absorption and narcissism. In our experiences, however, nothing could be further from the truth.
In many instances, it’s the younger generations thinking beyond their desires and working for a better community. They are the ones quick to lend a helping hand, while others – such as the reverend we encountered – only think about their predicaments.
Pondering this encounter while driving back from Saint Louis, the story of the Good Samaritan came to mind (Luke 10:25-37). Was it the powerful, wealthy or religious that helped the man in need? Nope. It was the stranger. The foreigner went the extra mile to help his fellow human being in distress.
When Jesus asked the lawyer to identify the person showing more love, the lawyer answered, “The one showing mercy.”
Our world would be a much better place if we acted more like the Samaritan. Just think what the world would look like if we acted more like the man in the car rental line when asked to help out a stranger.
“Yes, yes, I will do it,” should be our response. Only then can we say we were obedient to Jesus’ teachings about loving our neighbors as we would love ourselves. By loving our neighbor, as the young man in the line did, we also love God.
While standing in long lines can be anxious and frustrating, if we open our eyes, ears and hearts enough, some of the best lessons in life can be experienced.