In my years at St. Jude, I made quite a few trips to Memphis to connect and collaborate with the social support services teams at the hospital. Most trips I traveled alone and it was then I was regularly flagged by TSA.
I have no idea why, but I could not get through the screenings without being pulled. Even traveling with our kids, they came to expect it... for some reason, I would set of the alarms. You can only take so many clothes in public, right? One agent gave up and let me through.
Another time, they pulled out "the wand" and asked if there was anywhere they might put the metal detecting, lightsaber like wand thing that would make me uncomfortable?
My reply was, "Where are you going to put it?" as they already had my legs spread in an awkward position."
I am always cooperative, as safety is important, but it is still a hassle.
On one trip, I was traveling back to the Memphis airport with one of our guest presenters. She was a elderly nun dressed in a traditional habit. When we got to security, I encouraged her to go on without me. I explained that I was usually detained for extra searches. She laughed, and said she did, too. We both had a good laugh.
In a TSA search, we want to be found with nothing that can be held against us.
This is the perfect verse:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." -Psalm 139:23-24
Are searches inconvenient? Yes, at times, and they take time. Still, a good search can keep us safe.
When a mechanic does a search on our car or on an airplane, we don't want them to miss anything. We want any problems pointed out so they can be fixed before there are consequences.
In the same way, we want to let the Spirit search our hearts to see if we have anything that needs to be fixed.
Today, I am grateful for searches.
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