Have you ever been seated on an airplane next to a person who turned out to be the chattiest, most loquacious passenger ever to travel in the history of air travel? Like, since 1903 when the Wright brothers talked through the first flight? How did you handle it? I enjoy a brief friendly conversation with my fellow passengers when I sit down, but relish the opportunity to travel quietly with my book or a movie and just experience some downtime. Being a mother, grandmother of six, and a church pastor, I feel like all I do is talk to people. One of my running partner’s husbands labeled us “Toggers” since we talk and jog through all those miles. Even as an extreme extrovert, too much talking can wear me out, so I take deliberate efforts to signal to my seat-mates that I am going to be quiet for the flight. Earphones go in, eye contact stops, book or iPad opens, and I’m off in my own world.

Except that one time when my seat mate just wouldn’t stop talking. And talking. And talking. I resigned myself to a five-hour talkfest and prayed that either the gentleman would eventually shut up, or God would use that time for His good. Sure enough, as soon as I opened up to the possibility, God turned it into an opportunity to witness to this man. He was returning from his brother’s funeral, and he shared a lifetime of family dysfunction and regret with me. By the end, we had thoroughly explored the nature of Christ’s forgiveness and said a prayer together before we deplaned. As he expressed his thanks for my attentive listening, I explained that God had deliberately seated us together, as I was a pastor. That was a moment of discovering God’s prevenient grace, and I believe his eyes were opened up to how much God loves him.

Our Scripture today is a solid reminder of our responsibility to bear witness to what we know about God’s love every time we get the chance. Luke wrote to Theophilus about Jesus’ resurrection and his promise of his Second Coming. He recounted what happened at Jesus’ ascension. Take note of what the two angels said to the disciples as Jesus was taken up into heaven:

Acts 1 (Common English Bible)

1 Theophilus, the first scroll I wrote concerned everything Jesus did and taught from the beginning, ² right up to the day when he was taken up into heaven. Before he was taken up, working in the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus instructed the apostles he had chosen. ³ After his suffering, he showed them that he was alive with many convincing proofs. He appeared to them over a period of forty days, speaking to them about God’s kingdom.⁴ While they were eating together, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised. He said, “This is what you heard from me: ⁵ John baptized with water, but in only a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

⁶ As a result, those who had gathered together asked Jesus, “Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “It isn’t for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ Rather, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

⁹ After Jesus said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰ While he was going away and as they were staring toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood next to them. ¹¹ They said, “Galileans, why are you standing here, looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you saw him go into heaven.”

“Why are you just standing here?” Why, indeed? Why do we go about our daily routines, overlooking the opportunities to share the Good News with our friends and neighbors? Why do we look heavenward instead of looking around our communities to see the needs and hurts that sharing Jesus could alleviate? Why do we put in our earphones and ignore people around us?

The next time you are tempted to avoid conversation, take a minute and pray. See if God is actually sending that person to you for help and hope. May we bear witness to the good things God has provided and share his goodness with the world. Even on a long flight.

Long Night