Even Christians Can Have A Bad Day

We all need to show some grace to everyone involved in the Victoria Osteen situation. Since September 11, 2001 air travel has become tense. The added security, longer lines, crowded flights, are creating more stress for passengers and flight crews. The crews are stressed by the lay offs at airlines because of the economy. Meanwhile ticket prices have gone up because of fuel prices. Passengers are paying more and getting less. It requires a little more patience from us all.

Airports can be strange for a person who is known to the public. I know from my own experience. Each year I log thousands of miles in travel for my Fire of Miracles Revival meetings. Every now and then I catch someone at the airport staring at me. I start to worry that some egg from breakfast is still on my chin. Then I realize that they may know my face from TV – they’ve seen my Power & Mercy television program. They are probably just trying to remember how they know me.

Joel Osteen’s TV program has a much larger audience than mine. His wife Victoria appears on it regularly. They have been featured on TV news and in TIME magazine. Some evangelists, such as Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn have been criticized for having their own airplane. While I have never been able to justify such an expense for me, I can understand why someone would – if their schedule and budget demand it, why not? It seems to me that as busy as the Osteen’s are they should be commended for flying commercial in stead of private. Former Vice President Al Gore would be happy that they are reducing their carbon footprint.

I don’t know what happened on that flight to Colorado that day. There are charges that Victoria Osteen did not want to deal with the flight attendant, Ms. Brown because she is African-American. Most churches in America are either Caucasian or African-American, or Hispanic. For over four decades, reaching back to the days of legalized segregation, my meetings include people of all skin colors. And I was criticized for it. In fact, before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 I was put in jail in South Carolina because I was letting Blacks and Whites sit together at my meetings – but that’s another story. I have many good friends in Houston, and they tell me that the Osteen’s Lakewood Church has people of all races. Sadly that’s rare. It doesn’t make sense to me that Victoria Osteen would have such bias.

Even Christians can have a bad day. I know that air travel can bring out some of the worst in me. We live in an age where people who are known to us from TV and movies have every wart examined. How many of us would look good having every word and every action scrutinized by 24 hour news channels and by the lawyers on Court TV? It’s kind of crazy to demand 10 percent of someone’s net worth for having a bad day. Let’s give Mrs. Osteen and Ms. Brown some grace.

The saddest thing for me was hearing that Ms. Brown feels that the incident has affected her faith. We all need to pray for the restoration of Ms. Brown’s faith. I know the price paid for my faith – the Blood of Jesus Christ. That is a price that is far higher than any amount a jury can award.

Note: Since I posted this blog, the Victoria Osteen jury decided to dismiss the case. Praise God for common sense winning out.