There is an affliction that can happen at any time, but really starts hitting people hard this time of year: comfy bed syndrome. This occurs when you wake up in the morning already knowing it’s going to be cold outside. You curl into the blankets a little tighter, and start thinking, “5 more minutes” like back in high school. The stresses of your daily life haven’t reached out to grab you just yet. The bed is warm and soft and safe. There is no cure for comfy bed syndrome because we use it as the remedy for so many other things.
I hope you have a comfy bed. I hope there are times that you can find good rest. However, most mornings, you know that you must leave that comfort and start your day, the world needs you. You can get a small reprieve from actually starting, but comfy shower syndrome is a discussion for another time. I don’t want this to sound like a trivial decision. Leaving the warmth of your blankets, while a small one, is still a sacrifice. A sacrifice we are willing to make because of the greater things it will lead to.
In 2020 we have been asked to sacrifice a lot: vacations, going to restaurants, time with family, work opportunities, normal church services, and the list goes on and on. And we do this for the greater good because we have been called to love. In John 15:12-13 Jesus says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down their life for their friends.”
As the people of hope we have an eternal view. Following the calls for safety and having a church service / birthday / wedding / Thanksgiving that is a far cry from the one we want or envision is okay because we lay down our desire for our friends out of love. We can be uncomfortable because we know it is only temporary.
I hate wearing a mask. I have a giant head, beard, and glasses—three strikes! It is a discomfort that most of us never knew before this summer, but we can make the small sacrifices today because we see the large gains that will happen for the brothers and sisters around us tomorrow.
They will know we are Christians by our love.