The Check-out Line!

I thought I would write this out before the details fade. Last night I had a dream that I've never had before but stands out so vividly. I think its also answered some questions I had been recently challenging myself on. At least I hope so. I hope I can give this dream the justice it deserves too. Here goes...

I was standing in a grocery store and I remember the sun shining in the store front windows because it was quite bright in there. Only two self check-out lanes were open but they were situated on either end of the store. There was a long line of people in both lanes and no other lanes were open with no cashiers standing to block my view. My turn was about to come up but all I could do was keep my eyes on the person that was checking out the same time as myself. The only other person that wasn't in line was the security guard that was pacing the floor at the end of the other check-out line and not having a clue as to what was going to happen next. After having this dream, I'm not sure of the significance of the character of the security guard but maybe that's the point, there just wasn't one.

I guess before I get ahead of myself I need to explain how the dream was playing in my head. It was like a movie playing in slow motion and I knew who the people were around me because they were all significant characters to what was going to happen at the scene.

Like I said before, my eyes were glued to the other line but my senses about me were quite alert. I was waiting for the person ahead of me to bag their groceries while the person behind me was fidgeting and seemed a little nervous. Then the man behind me sort of whispered in this deep, nervous voice asking me if I knew who the man was in the other check-out line. I didn't say anything to him because I did in fact know who it was. It was the risen Christ. Yes, he was standing at the check-out the line the same time as me and there was also another 'villain' standing behind him! Both villains had guns or I just knew they did and what their intent was. I don't remember too many details about what Jesus was wearing but I do remember the guy behind him had on a blue shirt and had a scruffy beard and some hair that needed serious attention.

So, as the person in front of me left it was my turn to check-out (yet somehow in all of this I don't remember groceries but maybe that's not the point *wink*). I had some cards I needed to swipe across the scanner and one of them was, I guess you could call, my 'identity'. Not my identity of a grocery member but the identity of a Christian. While I was scanning another card, the guy behind me grabbed the 'identity' card out of my left hand and scanned it himself. I was hesitant to scan it not for my sake but for the sake of Christ who's identity would've been revealed once I swiped it across. Anyway, after the guy behind me scanned the CIC - Christian Identity Card (lets call it), I let out this huge scream yelling, 'Nnnnnooooooo'!!! Here I was trying to protect Him from getting hurt when all along its suppose to be that he is protecting me.

After I let out the scream, the two guys rush to reach for their weapons and then the scene cuts!! Christ was gone from the scene. It was like he went up to heaven in a flash and is now watching what my reaction would be if I was really put to the test. All the people in the lines are watching this, the two villains are being arrested and I'm pacing slowly in front of the windows professing my faith. I had a huge lump in my throat and was using all my might to hold back my tears then I shouted to the people, 'I don't wish to die today but if I have to I must'! After that I let out this long, deep, hot breath that reminded me of the big black guy in 'The Green Mile' when he exhaled all the bad venim in his body. I felt like I was showing Christ that if I had to, I would lay down my life. All the pressure of wondering what I would do was revealed.

I pretty much woke up after that and my thoughts were racing about me trying to figure out all the meaning behind it. It also reminded me of a thought I had the other day while driving. If I was really put to the test would my answer be 'yes, I am a child of God.' Many martyrs have died in much worse situations than a fast gun shot wound and persecution isn't as in your face as it is elsewhere or during this time. But at the end of the day, where do you stand?

I won't go into explaining what I think all the details mean. I will leave that up to the reader's interpretation but after thinking about some of the details I think the analogy is bang on.

The characters: Villains, me and Christ.
The setting: The check-out line.

Where do you stand?