Due to all the travel from AA or Chicago, I have gotten to know the airport security and gate check personnel fairly well. In some sense this is a best way to do relational evangelism… as we frequent the same restaurants, stores and places, we are able to build relationships and naturally talk about what we do and even share about Christ. But I digress… back to the main thought.
I have gotten to know one of the security check personnel in Chicago and she always tries to get me to the airline pilot and flight attendant security line – the line DEFINTELY goes faster.
As I was getting things out of my bag, I overheard one of the security personnel telling the person behind me that she had too many bags. She had one over the limit prescribed by TSA. Then a mini-disagreement began to ensue. The traveler began to berate the security personnel and explain that she has “traveled all over the world” (woah) and that she has always been able to bring the three bags on the flights (in some ways, I can see the argument of the traveler because one of the bags was a mini 2-piece luggage set that combined as one). I would have probably let her go through the security check, but whether the TSA person was new or something, she held her ground.
Finally, I suggested that the traveler put the smaller bag in her other bag and then after security quickly pull it out and go about business as usual. She agreed that was the best option and we waited to proceed through the security gate.
After I went through the gate, I heard the alarm go off as the lady was going through. To my surpirse and shock, the lady was trying to roll her roller-luggage through the gate. Then she realized what she did and in her embarrassment tried to explain to the security person and even to me how she was not thinking.
But I was thinking… “hmm, would a “world-traveler” who have “traveled all over the world” do something like that?” I couldn’t help but to wonder what the other TSA security person was thinking. She was probably on the floor laughing.
No matter who we are and where we have traveled, no one is above the law. If we don’t remain humble, God will humble us.