Comfort Objects

All of my children have had comfort objects.  These were soft things, a couple of animals and a blanket, that they received when they were very young.  In times of stress out came the comfort objects.  Road trip - get the comfort object.  Bed time - OMG where is that thing!  Hours of my life have been lost looking for these precious possessions so that my children could go to sleep. 
The thing about comfort objects is that only the child can really choose it.  Like most middle-class American kids my children had more than their fair share of stuffed stuff.  We could open an outlet mall with all of the furry animal-like things they collected over the years.  But only one made the cut and achieved the status of comfort object.  Call it the childhood version of Survivor.  Or a less-violent Highlander (There can be only one).
I too had a comfort object as a youngster.  I believe it was a bear.  Age and a general tendency to repress most childhood memories makes it difficult for me to recall its name.  After all, comfort objects have to have names.  You cannot spend hours upon hours of time - very emotional time at that, with a nameless thing (unless of course you named your comfort object Thing, in which case Dr. Seuss called and he is going to sue you).  At some point in my life, again I can't remember when, I no longer needed my bear.  I do recollect a feeling of sadness when I let it go to that great bear round up in the sky.  It was a difficult decision, but that is what growing up is all about - painful emotional choices.
My willingness to part with my bear did not mean that I was done with comfort objects.  On the contrary, I merely replaced furry animals with roasted ones.  And carbohydrates.  Lots and lots of carbohydrates.  Comfort objects have become comfort food.  Feelings of stress or uncertainly can easily be avoided with some pasta or pizza or fried (insert any food item).  But my go-to food group in tough times is candy.  Thank God for Halloween...and Christmas...and Easter.  Did you ever notice that major holidays (prime producers of stress) are filled with sweets?  Without them I am not sure how I could ever get through a family function. 
Comfort objects (or food) make us feel good and safe (and occasionally bloated and gassy).  They are reassuring and don't make too many demands of us.  They don't argue or talk back (hint-if your comfort object has in the past or is currently talking to you seek medical help NOW!)  and allow us to reaffirm the world as we want it.
There are some people who contend that religion is nothing more than a comfort object.  We create religious systems to protect us from the outside world, to make a safe space (sanctuary) and to enable us to escape from reality.  Know what - they are right.  Sometimes.  As a minister I have seen firsthand how folks, good folks, can turn religion into their own comfort object.  And woe to the one who tries to take it from them.  Think a two year old throws a fit if you try and take their blankie, well just try changing something in the church and you will see some major temper tantrums.  Not from everyone, just those who need religion to provide them with a safe and secure place to turn to.
Church as comfort object never appealed to me.  While my faith offers me great comfort in the face of life's many trials there is more to being a follower of Jesus.  If anything, I have come to believe that being a disciple of the living Christ means being uncomfortable a lot of the time.  Having faith is a risky business and this Jesus, he lives out on the edge.  When I want the comfort of only being around people who think and act the way I do, Jesus pushes me out into a world in which I have to accept, no love, those who may not like me.  Right at that moment when I am full and warm and dry Jesus asks me what am I doing for those who are hungry and homeless and naked.  And when I clearly see the sinful nature of my adversaries I am invited to take a look in the mirror in case there are a few of my own blemishes I might have overlooked. 
The Christian faith has the power to transform lives.  Through it God calls us to new life beyond anything we could ever imagine.  But that process of transforming can get uncomfortable because we start looking at the world in a whole new way, with God at the center instead of ourselves.  That can take some getting used to.  But it is worth it.  It is so very worth it.