There was this lady named Mable who was a prolific letter writer and made frequent trips to the branch post office. One day while at the post office she found herself in a long line of people who were waiting for service from the postal clerks. Mable only needed stamps, so a well meaning gentleman also in line asked, "Why don't you use the stamp machine? You can get all the stamps you need and you won't have to wait in line." Mable kindly replied to the gentleman, "I know, but the machine can't ask me about my arthritis."
It’s a fact that we live in a world that has become extremely impersonal. You can take care of numerous business transactions without dealing directly with people. This has become increasingly true since the advent of the computer and the internet. When you do talk with people, most of them aren't going to ask you about your arthritis. They want you to state your business and get out of the way for the next customer. The concept of customer service has taken a major hit these days.
We can get our lunch from a machine if we choose to. We can take our own blood pressure at the drug store. It's been a long time since many of us have had a conversation with a real, live telephone operator. When you live in that kind of context, it's hard to find anybody who is the least bit curious about your arthritis, your gout, your bad cough or anything else that ails you. Let alone how you are in relationship with Christ.
People still need human contact. In our prisons, solitary confinement is still the most severe punishment that a prisoner can receive. If you live alone and particularly for many seniors, the hour after hour of having no human to talk to can easily lead to depression. Yes you can entertain yourself with the TV or radio but try holding a conversation with that TV or radio. It’s pretty one sided.
As Christians we need to be sensitive to the need that people have to be touched and cared for. "For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone" (Rom_14:7). Most folks don’t deliberately shun other people it’s just that in this day and age, people are so busy that it’s easy to slip into a mindset of self-centeredness. It’s not something most really want to do but with all the pressure and things going on it often results that we thinks we don’t have the time to really talk in depth with people.
It would be wise for us all to remember. God has allotted each of us only so many days on this earth. What we do with that time is important. We all have to choose between people or things. Which is going to be seen by our Lord more favorably: taking care of things or taking care of people?
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