40 Faces, 40 Places: A Devotional JourneySample

Anita from Cumbria

Sometimes whole-life discipleship looks like being a kind listener.

I work for a housing association in the Lake District, helping people find an affordable home to rent – not straightforward in such a desirable place! I feel God’s presence in my conversations as a customer service assistant with people who are often vulnerable, afraid, marginalized, and defensive.

Sometimes the way some other staff talks to customers doesn’t sit well with me, as though it’s them and us. I feel some customers are condemned before they’ve even spoken, just because of their name or address. There’s also been some conflict lately regarding housing refugees. It’s a real pressure when I think of those people being forced to flee their homes and then met with suspicion and even anger.

So I serve God by putting callers first, giving them the time to talk, and listening with an open heart. I try to speak with them as I’d like to be spoken to myself and hope they feel valued. I pray before I pick up that God might equip me with the right words to say and that I might serve them as He would.

For example, when my computer’s behaving particularly badly, instead of getting frustrated, I apologize for the time it’s taking and simply have a conversation with the person on the phone. It’s surprising what comes out of those precious few minutes. I shouldn’t be surprised, as God is definitely in those moments!

Reflection

Jesus’ teaching is the exact opposite of them and us. When Anita treats her callers with something of the love of Jesus, she’s following His two great commandments from Matthew 22.

It's so easy to treat the people around us as ‘other.’ It’s just the norm in some places, like Anita’s workplace. Our challenge is to demonstrate another way, molding the culture of each setting to convey greater empathy and love. To help move the thinking from ‘them and us’ to ‘we’re all “us”’!

Something is challenging and beautiful about taking a computer malfunction as an opportunity for a conversation. How do you treat frustrating delays on your frontline?

Prayer

Lord, please point out any ‘them and us’ thinking or actions that I tolerate in myself or others. Give me the courage and confidence to help demonstrate a ‘we’re all “us”’ approach. Help me to love my neighbor as myself.