Highlights From Higher Ground

Our Self-Serve Society

A couple of days ago I took our son to the airport. As I was leaving the parking garage, I stopped at the booth to pay the parking fee. I was the only car in line and I sat there waiting on the attendant to open her little window and tell me how much I owed. It kind of irritated me that she seemed to be taking her sweet time. Then she opened her little window, with no smile, and stuck my ticket in a small slot outside the window. I quickly remembered the last time I was at the airport and YOU are suppose to stick your own ticket in the slot, THEN the attendant will open her little window and take your money.

I felt somewhat insulted and realized that there was little service being rendered. I flashed back in my mind how in the ‘olden days’ there was a person that would give you a ticket and say, “Hello” as you entered the parking garage, AND take your ticket when you left. Then I thought about when I was a kid and there was always a boy to bag your groceries at the supermarket, and they would even push the shopping cart out to the car and load your groceries for you!!! Try to find that kind of service these days. Now you can even ring up your own groceries, pop your money in a machine, bag and load your goodies without looking into a human’s eyes.

Then I thought about all of the buffet places to eat, with very little service being done. Even worse, RARELY when you drive through a fast food restaurant will the person taking your money say, ‘Thank You’. Remember the days when you needed a phone number and you could just dial zero and get a REAL LIVE human? Or when you knew your mailman's name? What about the days when you could pull up to a gas pump and someone would come pump your gas, wash your window and check your oil, and if you filled up, you would get a free glass?  Now you just pump your own gas…AFTER you pay, usually placing a card in the same pump, and drive off, no need to smile or be nice. No need to ask someone how his or her day is.

It is sad that our culture seems to be loosing it's personal touch, its courtesy towards *others*. It is not that I demand service or respect, not at all! Our Self-Serve Society has an attitude that we do not need anybody, and how dare anyone expect ME to serve them!

It is a lack of loving our neighbor.

Luke 10:27
… " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "