I’m enjoying a book called Divine Nobodies by Jim Palmer. You can follow his interesting blog and learn more at: http://www.divinenobodies.com/blog/. No I am not a paid sponsor. A friend loaned me the book, and I’m enjoying it (Thanks, Laura). In fact a bought more copies for others; mailing ’em out now.
ANYWAY, I digress (as usual). I loved this line:
“… got me thinking about whether any theology can be ‘right’ if it doesn’t motivate you to treat people with love and respect. Let’s just hope on Judgment Day that God doesn’t leave it in the hands of waitresses, cashiers, and all the other invisible people in our world who are on the receiving end of what’s truly in our hearts.”
I once witnessed a meltdown of a lot of people in a line at a fast food spot on the New Jersey Turnpike (Clara Barton perhaps?) when a woman whose command of the English language was minimal was moving very slowly and with not much efficiency… and people had to wait and didn’t receive exactly what they ordered (“Where are my curly fries?”). It was chaos. It was war.
I do wrestle with my own lack of kindness when people in service roles are slow or not great at their jobs. It’s like I have some sense of entitlement that my day go smoothly. Today a grumpy clerk snapped at me when I attempted to spell my last name, unbidden. I wanted to cry. I felt it was my right to snap back. Help me, God. It’s not.
It’s my privilege, instead, to show her mercy and kindness and patience and to not be concerned with what she gives back. I know that’s not the way of the world. But the way of the world isn’t working. Jesus recommends countercultural measures.
I’ve got to de-escalate.
I appreciate the window into my own heart when I’m less than loving and merciful. And I appreciate Jim Palmer’s excellent book and thinking. Read it!
Jubilee Year 