Some of the best movies in the 1990’s included Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The two had great chemistry. My favorite may have been You’ve Got Mail. It was released in 1998 when online chat rooms and email were in their infancy. Hanks plays Joe Fox. His family owns a chain of large bookstores. Meg Ryan is Kathleen Kelly and she owns a small independent bookstore in Manhattan called, The Shop around the Corner.
The two initially meet in an “over 30s” chatroom and form an online friendship. No one in the chatroom shares their name so when the two finally meet in person, neither realize they’ve just met their online friend. What they do realize is they have a conflict. Joe’s family is planning to open one of their mega bookstores near The Shop Around the Corner bookstore and it will eventually result in the closing of Kathleen’s small business. There’s plenty of acrimony in the relationship at first, but over time, Joe begins to realize he has feelings for Kathleen. Kathleen’s heart is slowly softened. There is a scene late in the movie when Joe is wondering if things might have turned out differently if he had met Kathleen under other circumstances, “I would have asked for your number, and I wouldn’t have been able to wait 24 hours before calling and saying, how about some coffee… for as long as we both shall live? And we wouldn’t have been at war with each other.” And then Joe looks intently at Kathleen and says…“If only.”
How often in life do we think about what might have been different and utter the words…”if only.” Regrets come in many forms. I regret I didn’t call Dad the night before he died. I regret allowing people to call me “stupid” when I was younger. I regret not following my dreams. We place so much baggage on our hearts with regrets.
Makes me think of the disciples’ last night with Jesus in the Upper Room shortly before he is arrested. I understand much of the way events unfold is apparently to fulfill Old Testament prophecies, but I can’t help but think about what regrets there might have been that night. The disciples were confused about who Jesus was. Phillip says in John, “Show us the Father and that will be enough.” Jesus replies in frustration, “If you have seen me you have seen the Father.” Then of course, there is Peter who says he will never desert Jesus until he does. Finally, there is Judas, who seems confused about what kind of messiah Jesus will be. He’s grown discontent waiting for Jesus to be the King who will overthrow the Romans.
The good news, I think, is that God has our back when it comes to regrets. In Luke, Jesus says he has prayed for Peter’s faith not to fail him. “And when you turn back you will strengthen your brothers.” Jesus knows what is to come, but prays that ultimately Peter’s faith will be restored so he can encourage his brothers, the disciples. And that is what happens. Jesus understands we will have regrets, but they don’t have to be the last word. When we stumble, God says to us, “Get up. I have something bigger and better for you to do next.” And that is indeed Good News.
– Rev. David Poteet, Pastor of Congregational Care
