“Maybe you should write a Thought about being nice to the guy on the phone”
/April 29, 2019
Scripture
I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, …. what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:18-21 NRSV)
“Maybe you should write a Thought about being nice to the guy on the phone”
A modern-day Dante could create circles of Hell for time spent on the phone with cable, phone, and credit card agents punishing us for our sins. We’d be lashed with long waits with brutal music, stupid service, misleading service, abusive service – the lack of resolution of problems would be our eternal punishment.
After overhearing one particularly sulphurous of these encounters my beloved sarcastically offered today’s title line. That didn’t help but within 90 minutes everything was sunshine because a woman at a Nova Scotia call centre sorted it all out. The contrast between the two people should go in the corporate training manuals demonstrating the heaven and hell of customer service.
It sneaks up on us but after a while we realize our primary reason for living is “on hold” or held hostage by the stuff of life that piles up, layer on layer. Time saving efficiencies can sap our resources.
Disconnecting for a moment of quiet and taking a deep breath of the infinite love of God is a good place to start. Perhaps letting the irritation move us to pray for the victims of the bombings in Sri Lanka, the sorrowful in our circle or others in need is even be better.
A Prayer
Loving God, my self-absorption seems to know no boundaries. I am easily frustrated by the vagaries of life, especially the small ones. Let me connect my very material and limited position in life with your eternal love for us all. Thank you for allowing me to speak with you as a child to a parent.… For Jesus’ sake
