21 October 2020

Oh for a good cup of coffee! Or tea! That was my thoughts as I sipped my morning cup. I never was one for having this knowledge or this ‘tasting’ of my palette. This enjoyment has only occurred the last few years. Over the years where I used to work the coffee or tea was made by a staff member. Whatever came was how you got it – weak, strong, boiling hot, lukewarm, too sweet…….

Now I wasn’t being authoritarian but all the juniors were on roster to make the senior staff a morning or afternoon cup because we did not stop for a break but worked all the way through to lunchtime. (Actually, sometimes we did not get lunch till 3 or 4 in the afternoon.)

One morning I asked a junior to make me a cup of coffee. This girl had not long left high school.  Five minutes after asking for the coffee, she came to me very hesitantly and said she had a problem. I asked her what was it?

Her answer astounded me. “I don’t know how to make coffee.”

I asked her had she never made coffee or tea for her parents? Her reply was, “No. They made it themselves.” So, I went and showed her how to make a cup of coffee. Over a period of a few weeks this young girl showed me the lack of many areas of skills for living life that I took for granted. She did not know how to answer a telephone. (Yes we were still in one of those professions that answered the telephone to help our clients.) She did not know how to clean, how to talk to people or how to complete tasks. It was not that she had a bad attitude, it was just that she had never been taught.

This memory was brought to mind the other day when I went and got a haircut. The young hairdresser was asking me as she was cutting if I had a busy week. I replied, yes, we have been building some television studios. I went on to describe the Ministry I work for and what we are trying to do in reaching people. She stopped cutting and looked at me in the mirror. “I’m a Catholic but I don’t get it. My grandparents are very disappointed in me, but I don’t know where this religion fits into my life.”

The ‘aha’ moment hit me.

This young hairdresser had never been taught about Jesus. She had not been taught about who He was and is. She had not been taught how having a relationship with Him changes your life and makes your life better, fuller, more complete. She did not have a bad attitude towards what I was discussing, she just had never got it. Somewhere along the way she thought it was all about the rules, the institution, the ‘religion’ as she described it.

I tried to explain. Go find out about Jesus. Go seek Him out and ask Him to show you Himself. I pray that she does.

Are we who do have knowledge of Christ, Our Saviour and King, are we sharing this KNOWING with others?

If we do not share our life skills, will generations miss out?

I know that mobile phones are used so much now in the world and many young know how to text, Instagram and use Facebook way better than me but do they know how to TALK, COMMUNICATE with people? How to do it with kindness, politeness, consideration of the other person? Are they learning the listening skills that are used in all walks of our careers?

So, if we do not share our life spiritual skills, will generations miss out?

Are we sharing the JOY of the gospel? (As one pope wrote about.)

¹⁸ Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
    so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord:

Psalm 102:18 NRSV

Are we communicating the Love of Christ, the forgiveness of Christ, the need for Christ? NOT the nagging to go to church but the JOY, FULFILMENT, WISDOM it brings you to KNOW Christ.

Do I express my Joy, my prayers (where appropriate) out loud for family and friends to hear?

Something simple like a prayer out loud for a parking place.

I used to share this with my children from a young age. In our city there is a big P on signs designating where the parking areas are. My 2-year-old would say, “Dear Jesus, P a park.” and every time we would get one right beside the shops or place, we needed to go to. Then we would always say, “Dear Jesus, thank you.”

Even now at the age of 29, she still says it!

I as the parent, needed to guide my children in ways of love, appreciation, honour and respect, kindness, understanding and NOT just in practical human ways but in practical spiritual ways.

What are we passing on to the next generation? What will they have to pass on to the next?

It is not too late! This young junior went on to get a good job in another company a few years later. I often wondered – did I teach her some life skills that she can use well in her work but also in her relating with others? Did I do a good job?

As I have these thoughts, this cup of  takeaway coffee hits the spot. Who taught this person to make a good cup?

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What are you passing on to the next generation?

Are you communicating the love of Christ, the forgiveness of Christ, the need for Christ?

Do you express your joy, your prayers (where appropriate) out loud for family and friends to hear?