Pastor Devotion – An attitude of gratitude

By Rev. Deanna Woodward

Maple Leaf Parish

United Methodist Churches of Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston and Spring Valley

If I had my “druthers” in the winter, I would either fly to a warmer climate like the snowbirds, or go into hibernation like some other woodland creatures. I’m not a fan of winter.  It’s common at this time of the year to go for weeks without seeing my neighbors, since none of us are outside the house much, except to shovel the sidewalk or scuttle to the car with a quick wave, and take off for work or errands.  It’s a time that, for many, can lend itself to social isolation.

The late Mother Teresa, who saw the worst of the world’s poverty, once said that loneliness is the greatest poverty in the United States.  And that was before the pandemic, remote working and distance learning, shut-downs, quarantines and social distancing were considered necessary.

Technology has been both a help and a hindrance when it comes to being connected with others. New modes of communication have come along, enabling people to connect in new ways.  But television, computers, and cell phones have also interfered with communication in many families. How many families spend evenings with each family member in a separate room watching their own TV or on their own computer? How often have you been in a room with someone who ignored you because they were glued to their cell phone?

I like having a dishwasher, but someone once pointed out that this invention has robbed homes of one guaranteed visiting period.  It used to be that one person washed, one rinsed, one dried and another put the dishes away.  It was a regular time for getting together and talking.  We used to talk with a bank teller but now many people bank online or at the ATM. The service station attendant knew us and knew our car and its quirks.  Now we pump our own gas and pay at a pump-side credit card machine.  More and more service industries are becoming self-serve. 

The lost relationships I’ve described may seem superficial, but they were part of the fabric of community. People need human contact. There are lonely folks who go for long periods without direct human contact. How sad it is that some folks have come to think of characters on TV or Facebook friends whom they may never see in person, as the best friends they have.

Don’t misunderstand me, creature comforts and technology are not things I’m planning to give up. I don’t plan to start living like our Amish neighbors, but I do think they could teach the rest of us more about being and working together.  In the Bible’s book of Genesis, the first man, Adam, was in an idyllic setting, an unspoiled creation.  And yet something was missing.  Looking at Adam, God said, “It is not good that he should be alone.”  So God created someone like Adam, but different also: Eve.  They could be companions and complement each other.

We know that sin came into the world not long after, and that’s why there can be loneliness even with other people around.  We need each other because we were created that way, but sin does complicate our relationships and affect our communication. Nevertheless, one of the lessons coming out of the pandemic may be that we rediscover the importance of human contact and community and look for ways to strengthen those ties. And we may also learn to place a greater value on having a friendship with God, whose companionship endures forever.