A Minor Confession

So, part of my routine when I travel is to scout out all of the Starbucks along the journey. I will often stop for a latte like one stops for gas in fear of the next Starbucks being more than 500 miles down the road. So tonight at Starbucks I had an encounter that needs some reflection... After pulling open the door of Starbucks I was spotted by a group of Christian guys doing their bible study. For some reason just about every Starbucks in the bible belt has "that" group of Christian guys or girls. Most of the time they are somewhere in late high school or early college age. None of them seem to have jobs and they sit around at Starbucks discussing the bible all day long. They are carrying on a similar conversation to the last time I was in Starbucks. You know how I know, they are the loudest ones in the whole joint! Sometimes they are laughing in a way that makes everyone feel a little uncomfortable and just a tad bit excluded. I've also noticed their humble desire to witness to me. Usually their conversation will cease as I or others pass by... then the look comes, the "I am going to witness to you" look. You know it. I never want them to know that I am a pastor. So I scurry past hoping not to get into the conversation... I don't think about it in the moment, it is more intuitive... Tonight as I sat in Starbucks eating a sandwich and sipping a latte and reflecting on my experience I wondered why I as a pastor am repelled by these guys. I know they mean well, I am sure they are very nice. I guess I just would rather talk to the guy who sees the world a little differently. Something in me is drawn to the guy with tattoos who seems as though he is not carrying a pretense as we strike up conversation. I hope that when I meet others at Starbucks they don't think of me as "that guy." Rather as an honest, sincere, humble, non-pretentious guy who cares about others.