fanboy

awhile back i had my carpets cleaned.
i had to take time off of work
because deanna thought that the machines
would scare janie.

so i pulled my laptop into the kitchen
and started transferring podcasts
to CDs.
the carpet cleaners went to work.
during one of their breaks one said to me:
“so- you’re a U2 fan huh?”

???

“uh- yeah- how did you know?”
was i wearing a U2 shirt? no-
playing U2 music? no-
he said,
“well, i was cleaning your carpets
and on this bookshelf
you have an entire shelf
dedicated to books about U2 and bono.
and over here you have another bookshelf
that has an entire shelf of U2 CDs.
so i just figured you’re a U2 fan.
have you ever seen them live?”

he asked the wrong question.
my abilities for silence and subtlety
are powerless to that question.
and i lit up.
and started chattering-
i went on and on.
about popmart and elevation and vertigo-

he said that he was a fan too
but had never seen them live.
but he has the live dvds.
he even told me some stuff i didn’t know!

he finished my carpets
and we said goodbye
and “dude-
if they ever come back we HAVE to go see them!”

when i shut the door behind them
i asked myself:
“why didn’t they ask me if i was into jesus?"

maybe it wasn’t as obvious.

what if they did?
would i have lit up for jesus like i did for bono?
would i go on and on for jesus like i did for bono?
would i share moment of when i met with jesus
like i did with bono?

ouch-
it hurts to ask those questions
because i think i know the answers.

why is it so easy and normal
to gush about bands and teams
but when it comes to what's most important
i clam up?
it is the most important thing-
right?
of course it is-
so what is my problem?

those carpet cleaners knew intuitively that i was into U2
without me telling them.
i hope that my love for jesus
would be just as obvious-

no-
more.

"preach the gospel at all times. use words if necessary."
st. francis of assisi