Platinum Status with American Airlines
IllustrationAnalogy★★★★I HAVE abided over the last twenty years with American Airlines. They have been my airline of choice, and as a result I have been awarded a level of intimacy. That level of intimacy is called Platinum. They have awarded my consistency with them.
That Platinum card affords me various privileges that come simply because I have the card. I can ride first class if the first class seats haven’t been purchased. I can get bumped up simply because I have this Platinum card and I’ve flown two million miles with American over the years. They’ve given me a card that says I’m a preferred customer.
They send things to my house because they appreciate the fact that I have abided with them. They like the fact that they can pretty much count on me to fly American when I travel.
When I walk up to a booth, if people are ahead of me, and first class is full, they have a waiting list. If they tell me they have Gold members in front of me, I pull out my Platinum card. My status bumps me to the top of the list. I take precedence because I have a deeper, longer, and more regular relationship with American than the Gold members do.
However, once a man behind me asked the clerk if there were any first class seats. The clerk told him there were, but then added that the first person was a Platinum member and would be awarded the upgrade first.
The man reached into his pocket and pulled out an Executive Platinum card. I felt like slapping him. To remain Platinum you have to fly fifty thousand miles a year. To be Executive Platinum you fly one hundred thousand miles a year.
When I walked up to the counter, they let me know they liked me by putting me first. When he came up they let me know they loved him.
His level of abiding was deeper. Some Christians are satisfied with Gold status, others are happy with Platinum, and yet others are after Executive Platinum.
What kind of Christian are you? We need to know that until we are ready to make the commitment of abiding, we will never get all the benefits that occur with ongoing intimacy.
The point
An American Airlines Platinum cardholder explains that deeper commitment and loyalty to God brings greater benefits and intimacy, like Executive Platinum status requiring greater dedication.