I work in a county hospital. And not just any county hospital. A very large & busy county hospital. So you know what that means…

Crowded elevators.

When you hit the button and it comes within 30 seconds, it’s time for a praise dance. Most times, you are left waiting…and waiting…and then waiting some more.

You hit the button again (like that really does anything). You pace. You look at your phone. You attempt to avoid eye contact with the other people waiting with you. Then, someone makes a joke about how long the elevators take to get here. And we all agree. Then awkward silence and more waiting.

Then, it happens. The light comes on. Except it’s going in the opposite direction.

Then, it happens again. The light comes on. This time, it’s headed where you want to go.

The doors open. And it’s full. Not packed. But full.

That can only mean one thing. Slowly but purposefully, you move towards the elevator and pray that people start sucking in a little more or adjust their position to make room for you.

Sometimes, they just stare at me like “Are you really going to try to get on here?”. And I respond with a stare that says “Yes, I am. Don’t believe me? Just watch.”

Other times, it’s a completely different scene. A shift happens inside the elevator. People move towards the back or the side, just to make room for a weary waiter. They know how it is. After all, they probably just waited 3 hours too. (Slight…ok big…exaggeration).

Isn’t that a picture of grace?

Adding one more person to a very full elevator is uncomfortable and it might take some action on our part. Movement that we didn’t anticipate having to do.

Grace works like that. When someone is infringing on our world in a way that is different from what we hoped, it is uncomfortable. But grace gives us the push to move over and make space for “them”. After all, wouldn’t we want someone else to do that for us? After all, haven’t we been “them”?

We are never more like Christ than when we show grace…when we have every right to not forgive or be mad or just not move over, the Christ in you compels you to do unto others what has been done to you.

While we were still sinners – in fact, while we were still sinning and probably enjoying it – Christ showed us the ultimate picture of grace. A perfect man bearing the weight of an imperfect world and making space for her as His bride.

1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

Even in crowded elevators.
~Anu