It is interesting to note how the revolution in self-service tills has come about in shops and supermarkets. Even in the small Tesco (other stores are available!) nearest to my office where I normally buy my lunch, there are 2 self-service tills. Sometimes I find myself able to trim a few seconds off my purchase transaction by my adept usage of this device. But what I realised recently is the de-personalisation of this and other technological advances.
Think how internet shopping means that we can buy our weekly shopping or Christmas presents online without exchanging conversation or "the time of day" with any human beings – we've come a long way from the hunter-gatherer tribe chasing down a hairy wild boar for dinner - does this make our lives richer? Even when we sit down to eat, most families now eat watching TV and many don't even own a table where the family can gather to eat and share news.
The human brain is wired for relationships (I won't bore you with the biochemistry – actually I don't know anything about it…), and the way in which we are depersonalising our lives and substituting communication by mouth to communication via facebook status update or text message conversation cannot be truly healthy. Can you replace an impersonal transaction with a bit of human conversation today? Some would say we have lost the skill of constructing and maintaining interesting conversation, so you may find you are a little rusty.
Perhaps you are a task orientated person – take some time to appreciate your relationships today. Remember Martha and Mary? Mary chose the relationship focus, Martha was busy doing to business of hospitality (also a gift) but was resentful:
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Lord, all tasks on my to-do list will be taken from me one day – but the relationships I make will last for ever. Help me to choose what is better. Amen.
Dave MacLellan
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