Regular or what?

Once upon a time... okay, maybe it's not so much a 'once upon a time' story, but hey, it's interesting nonetheless!  A few weeks ago, I went to that well-known, iconic coffee place in Canada we all know and love, went through the drive-thru and ordered 2 coffees.  First, I asked for a medium decaf with 2 cream (for someone else) and then asked for a medium regular coffee with 2 cream.  Sounds okay so far, right?  At least, to me it did.  Got the coffees, tasted mine and... hmm... sweet.  I didn't order sugar.  Or at least I didn't think I did.  I now had to go into the store, up to the counter, and confront them with their error - or so I thought.  The girl patiently (okay, maybe not so patiently, but at least condescendingly) explained to me that I ordered a regular coffee, and that's what they gave me.  I told her (even more patiently, yet somehow not condescendingly) that I ordered 1 decaf and 1 regular; in other words, 1 decaf and one non-decaf.  She then told me (now impatiently and even more condescendingly, or so it seemed!) that 'regular' does not mean 'non-decaf' - I could almost hear the 'duh' at the end of the sentence!  Well, that's news to me, I said - where is that posted so I might know that 'regular' now did not now mean 'regular'; I also inquired as to what it DID mean.  Almost dismissively, she told me 'regular' meant 'cream and sugar', and seeing as I also qualified my 'regular' by adding '2 cream', it meant '2 cream and 2 sugar'.  "Really?", I said, to which I got what I recognized as 'the look'!  This time, I pretty much saw the 'duh' in the expression!

Anyhoo... I found it interesting that one day 'regular' meant regular (i.e. non-decaf) coffee, and the next day, it meant something added to the basic black.  Despite my obvious (to the coffee girl, at least) stupidity, I still felt that, having never been explained this, I should not have to automatically know this!  DUH!  Then I got thinking - and this might be construed by some to be dangerous!: being regular doesn't mean being basic, being regular means something has been added.  So now the expression 'a regular Joe' obviously means 'someone, not necessarily named Joe, who is something more than basic'.  This changes the whole dynamic of what being regular is all about - now it's a good thing to be regular, because there's more to the meaning of the word than there ever was!  Who cares anymore about being 'original' or 'spectacular' or 'new and improved' - 'I am a regular guy' takes on a whole new meaning, almost like 'I'm all that AND MORE!'

READ:  Matthew 9: 9-12

The Pharisees - now THERE are some guys who definitely think they fit the new 'regular'!  Not only did they think they knew it all, as far as religious stuff was concerned, but listen to their comment about the taxpayers and associated sinner-type people:

But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum? ”

Scum... the stuff of ponds, the junk floating around, the yukky stuff no one wants to get on them.  The Pharisees, self-righteous as they were, thought of those who did wrong as 'scum'.  Obviously, being 'regular' in their own minds meant - in their own minds - they considered others of questionable repute as nothing worthy of having around.  Kinda makes you want to NOT be regular, doesn't it?!?!

• Do you consider yourself to be 'regular'?  What does this mean to you?
• How might you show yourself to others if you thought of yourself as being 'regular' (i.e. basic with more)?
• How do Jesus' words affect what you do?

Jesus had something to say about this, though - He told them that people who are 'regular', or 'healthy', don't need God as much as those who are oh so obviously down-and-out, or thought of as... well, scum.  God loves everybody, yes, but some people just need Him more than others, simply because of life's circumstances.  And isn't it good to know that not all people feel as do the Pharisees!  Isn't it good to know that even those who consider themselves to be the new 'regular' aren't necessarily immune to doing wrong, or thinking wrong!  Of course, the new 'regular' - more than just basic - is really what those who have an active relationship with Jesus are all about, dontcha think?  I mean, having Jesus in your life means you have a whole lot more than just the basics - you have it all! 

Now I know how to properly order coffee at this iconic coffee place, and I am actually thankful for having been given this insight into 'regular', 'cause being regular in this world isn't really so bad after all, is it! 

PRAYERGod, thank you for loving me, and for loving all people, no matter what they are like or what they do or say.  Help me to love as you love.  
Amen.