Walkway

I know it’s a debated position, but I firmly hold to the view that the “moving walkway” would be called a “moving standway” if we were supposed to let the machine do all the work.  Not every visitor to Universal Studios theme park agrees with me.  And that’s fine. 

Others, though, “stand” in such a way as to impede my walking.  They could move to one side or the other and stand just as easily.  But NOOOOO!  They are determined to turn me into a stander as well, robbing me of at least four or five seconds.  That’s not fine.

Obviously the time itself is of no real significance.  The real offense is the thought that my preferences are not even on their radar.  If doing a favor for their fellow human being is not worth moving 12 inches to your left or right (either one is fine with me), that is just pathetic.

Yet we have plenty of Christians, who are supposed to be aspiring to the attitude of Jesus (Philippians 2:3-5), who have absolutely no interest in yielding the slightest of their preferences for the benefit of their brother or sister. Is the thermostat set a half-degree too high or low?  To war!  Is the assembly a few minutes too long or too short?  (Well, the “too long” complaint is probably more likely.)  Time to start church-shopping!

Does it occur to these selfish ones that it is mathematically impossible to let 100 percent of the people have their way 100 percent of the time?  Or that learning to put others first is a large part of living “in the fear of Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).  Exactly how are we to find “the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:1-3) when some of us are determined to think only of themselves?

Stand in place if you must.  At least do me the courtesy of not interfering with my ability to walk.