Thought for the Day - Tuesday 29 September

Thought for the Day – Tuesday 29th September ‘You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.’ (Galatians 5: 13) I was quite amused the other day, when out and about with our youngest grandchild, and instructed to use one of those self-serve check-outs by the sales assistant to find said grandchild trying to talk back to the ‘voice’ of the invisible lady as she reminded me to remove my items from the bagging area at the end of the sale! That got me thinking about all the different areas of life where we do not actually have contact with another human being at all but rather only a self-serve option – like filling up with petrol, express coffee machines, sandwich carousels, newsagents, supermarkets, banks and so much more. At first people were reluctant to use such machines but now they are just the norm with people enjoying the freedom to just buy what they wish, when they wish and then not have to queue to pay, almost like saying ‘my time is more important than anyone else’s time’. Now all of this might be advantageous now we are amid Covid-19 where we are ‘avoiding crowds’, as the A of our F.A.C.T.S. message says, but I cannot help thinking that it is somehow indicative of an underlying trend for people in the Western world – a trend to put themselves first – to put self before others. Actually, personally, I try never to use these machines – even in times of Covid-19 - unless as in this case I am ‘instructed’ to do so because for me it seems to be just another way for employers to reduce staff or ‘get rid’ of staff and not always to the benefit of their business. Reduced staffing has the knock-on effect of providing less opportunity for people to find work or part-time work. Also though, do not people want a wee bit of human contact when they shop – I always believe for some people it might be the only human contact or conversation they have in their lives each day, or the only chance for someone to actually notice they are there. So yes, these machines, a sign of our times, may save time but at what cost. When you think about it I am sure most of us could afford just a little more time if we really tried, giving us a little more time to think of and serve others before ourselves. After all, as Christians we are called to serve others and put their needs before our own and can we really claim to have responded to that call if we are immersed in a self-serve world. Prayer Loving Lord, Grow within us a fiery passion for your mission in our world today, urging us to do the greater good, to put others before self. Awaken within us possibilities to share your love in the world that all may come to know your love as we ourselves have known it. Shape our days and our time and help us to use both wisely. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.