FLYING FIRST CLASS

No, I am not a frequent flyer on the airlines, nor do I possess my husband’s frequent flyer card. I fly “cattle car” status as does he. At least that’s what it feels like when you’ve been on an aircraft for more than 4 hours sitting in economy class.

At this particular time I was boarding a plane returning home to California from Columbus, Ohio. If you’ve flown at all, you know that boarding a plane seems similar to herding cattle or sheep. The airline personnel endeavor to collect 350 to 400 people and move them through a designated area to board this aircraft in an orderly fashion. I won’t add further comment on this procedure except to say that not everyone wishes to follow their guidelines.

I try and travel light, for obvious reasons. In my experience, it seems everyone wants to load their bags into the overhead bin regardless of their size.

Upon arrival onto the aircraft, a well-groomed flight attendant directed me toward my assigned seat. In that there were a couple of hundred people behind me, I wasted no time in slipping into my seat and belting myself into position.

I just started to relax a little when another passenger approached my aisle and gave me “the look.” You know, “you’re in my seat look.” They presented their seat number and what do you know, it was the same number as mine. By this time the cabin crew noticed the kink in the flow of traffic in the aisle and approached us both. If I were a child, the first phrase I may have used was, “I was here first.” But I held my tongue….which at this point was a good thing to get hold of.

The other passenger was a bit more forceful in their tone of voice. The flight attendant looked at me in despair and asked me to follow her, which I did.

My new assigned seat was now closer to the front of the plane. Again, I sat down and secured my seat belt in position ready for our in-flight safety movie. I no more than drew a sigh of relief, when another fellow passenger approached me with the same “look.”

By this time, I had my new assigned seat number memorized; and so I shared my designated location number with them and, you guessed it, they had the identical number. This same crew member noticed the situation occurring again. By this time, she was as frustrated as I was.

Since I now had experience in the “seat-relocation process,” I waited for her next directive, thinking she would leave me seated and relocate the other individual since I had already been inconvenienced in a prior move.

Her reaction to this was different. She looked at me intently and said “follow me.” It seemed that we were travelling upstream on that aircraft dogging people heading in the opposite direction.

When we got to a space where the two of us could look each other in the eyes, she thanked me profusely for being so accommodating and understanding. I was a bit inwardly embarrassed because I didn’t feel so understanding. Shouldn’t we be glad people can’t read our minds. I know God knows our thoughts and He was working on the “patience character” in me that morning.

Then we arrived at my final seating assignment….FIRST CLASS! Not just first class, I was seated in the first row of the first class cabin.

I turned to ask her the “why question,” but before those words could proceed from my mouth, she told me that because I was so patient and never expressed myself in a verbal eruption, she wanted to reward me with a first class seat.

Oh my, was I a happy camper. Even as I was fastening my seat belt, I paused to wonder if I could be in another’s preassigned seat. At last, I thought, I was “home in the right seat.” Gratefulness was expressed all over my face.

I remember that the seat was on the aisle and the seat next to me was empty. There was so much space in this section that I could have laid down and had a stack of books next to me, there was so much room.

The inflight safety instructions were being announced at this time and I was listening to every word, especially due to the fact I was sitting in first class and I wondered if they had different arrangements for exiting an aircraft.

Then a pilot appeared in front of me and proceeded to sit in the vacant seat next to me! My goodness, this man was dressed in the airline uniform, hat and all; and I wondered why he was sitting in row #l, next to me. Wasn’t he supposed to be in the cockpit?

My goodness, had all the “seating confusion” earlier brought about this experience for my first class adventure. As a little time passed, I discovered in conversation why this man was sitting next to me. He was the pilot on the incoming flight and was now headed home. Obviously, he was allowed to sit in first class.

Engines were started and we were soon up up and away. This nice looking gentleman took off his hat and introduced himself to me. I soon exposed my ignorance of first class travel and I shared with him that I had never flown first class before. I must have sounded like a kid in a candy store.

This was a season when airline travel still offered meals on the domestic flights. I was first to receive the delivery of a very nice meal served on fine china and silverware that was not stainless steel. It was incredible service with linens all over the place. I felt like a first class queen. The only article missing was a red rose.

After dinner, this off-duty pilot asked me if I wanted another cup of tea. Are you kidding, of course. I didn’t say it like that. I refined my response with a “that would be lovely, thank you.”

About this time, I could hardly believe all that was occurring in the way of airline meal service. Not only was I the first served, I experienced a follow-up cup of tea by this off-duty pilot. I was smiling from ear to ear almost not believing all that was taking place, Ijust because I kept my emotions under control and my lips were sealed.

The flight would be about three and a half hours. After dinner I settled back for a relaxing flight. The pilot next to me made some general comments and I thought that would be about it for the verbal pleasantries. But I could tell by the direction of the conversation, that this pilot was not only tired, he was tired of what life seemed to be offering him. I was now assuming that he was a bit depressed. Believe me, if a pilot is depressed, you want him seated….. and not in the cock pit.

The conversation went in a direction toward spiritual matters. After listening to where he seemed to want to go in this communication, I introduced him to some comments about God. The next thing I realized we were approaching our airport destination. For those hours God opened up a dialogue about Him and how He cares for us. We spoke together all those hours and at the end of the flight, the countenance of this pilot was incredibly joyful.

He expressed to me how grateful he was that I was seated where I was located. I realized afresh that God had orchestrated several moves in order to get me to that first class seat so that He could encourage this pilot through my words.

I will never forget the experience. But there is more. Just before landing I shared with the pilot that I had always wanted to see what it was like to be in the cockpit. People are not allowed in that area, for good reasons. He listened and chuckled.

The flight landed safely and over the loud speaker I heard an announcement I’ve never heard before. They announced my name and asked me to remain seated after the landing. Oh my, what in the world had I done? The pilot left his seat next to me immediately upon the tires hitting the runway.

People were leaving the aircraft and I was alone in first class, wondering what in the world would become of this pause from exiting the aircraft.

Soon the off-duty pilot appeared and asked me to join him. He took me upstairs and escorted me to the cockpit of this Boeing 747. There were three airline pilots sitting in their seats as the pilot and I entered this area. He introduced me and my “childhood wishes” were about to commence. I was breathless at the sight of all those knobs and buttons. The first comment from my lips were that I had always prayed for the pilots before a flight, but after seeing the display on the instrument panels throughout the cockpit, I told them I would really be praying for pilots on future flights.

They were very friendly and accommodating in their brief demo of procedures in the cockpit. Just when I thought the experience was about to end, the actual pilot of the flight got up out of his seat and offered the seat to me. I don’t remember breathing as I took my place in the captain’s chair. They were wanting to take a photo but guess what: my battery in my camera was flat. Everyone laughed, but even though I don’t have the photo, the scene is forever etched in my mind.

When we belong to God’s family, He does indeed direct our steps (Psalm 37, verse 23). Many times His direction would seem like a detour, but He knows where He wants to place us and seat us for His good purposes.

Now, if you’re a frequent flyer in first class and you need to be accompanied by an encourager who loves the Lord, please don’t hesitate to make a reservation in my name. I’d be most delighted to sit next to you and share the goodness and care of the Lord.