…is a sad commentary on the world we live in. The idea we might do good for others and suffer as
a result of helping them seems counter-intuitive, and yet it happens. You only need to consider
statistics for assaults on our Emergency Services to know that. Sometimes despite all our efforts to
help our actions backfire on us, often spectacularly. This is of course completely at odds with
William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’ in which we are told “How far that little candle
throws his beams! So shines a good deed for a weary world.”
Personally I’m with the Bard on this. I think the good deeds we perform are akin to ripples in a
pond. They radiate outwards, interacting with other ripples. If we have enough of them then all we
can see are ripples, radiating out and interacting together ad infinitum. That’s the kind of world I
want to live in. One where we act in the best interests of all, rather than for personal gain or our
own feel good factor.
In Hebrews we are told ‘Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some have
shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.’ If that is true then so is the converse. I’m a firm
believer we should treat others the way we expect to be treated, and I’d hate to treat an angel
poorly, given they are God’s emissaries to the world. Having worked in a bank…a long, long time
ago…we used to get ‘Mystery Shoppers’ and woe betide us if our manager received a report citing
poor service. Perhaps the angels are God’s ‘Mystery Shoppers?’
My wife Karen and I often visit a particular coffee shop. We do so not necessarily because the
coffee or food are great (which of course they are) but because the staff recognise us and treat us
well. Sadly, they even know our orders before we ask…although Karen will often change her order
and complete chaos ensues. But before they knew and recognised us, they still treated us as if we
mattered. As if our business was important to them. That’s the kind of business I want to frequent,
where everyone is important whether they are known or not.
The point to all this is that a successful life, church or community require the same level of
attention that a successful business does. If we receive poor service we are unlikely to return. If
we are treated poorly by those we meet, we probably won’t want to build upon such relationships.
To be successful requires us to treat those we encounter as important to us. That’s how Jesus
treated those he met. It didn’t matter if they were the great and the good from Jewish society, or
tax collectors, or sinners, or gentiles and foreigners. All were worthy of his attention, his grace and
love. That’s a philosophy I try to follow.
Jesus came to change the world. Arguably the ripples of his good deeds are still going strong, still
interacting and radiating outwards. Jesus’ teachings were for the world, not a select few. Like the
coffee shop Karen and I frequent, Jesus welcomes all whether that be the first encounter or the
hundredth. With Jesus you can always be assured of a warm welcome. I hope we can emulate
that.
In an ever changing world I pray we can all remember to let our lights shine for those around us in
this weary world…
Rev Paul
