While I am flattered to know that my children and family have included me in their group chat when
they text, I realise they all have more sophisticated phones than I do.When they send messages to
one another they can now include exciting things like confetti exploding on the screen or balloons
soaring, depending on the message.I however clearly have an older version so not only do I not
get the confetti, but I very kindly get a message which reads “sent with confetti.” So not only do I
miss out, I am informed that I have missed out.
Silly though confetti in texts may seem, it led me to wonder about a few things. If I were still a teenager, and in so many ways I am glad I’m not, how hard it would be to keep up and feel included with the advancing, expensive technology and how easy it is to be left behind and how hard perhaps that feels.
And then to think about how hard it is to feel left out in general. Such feelings sadly are not reserved for childhood and adolescence, there are many in our society who are not able to feel part of the group and we are told that loneliness is one of the biggest diseases in our current age.
Jesus sat with the tax collectors and the prostitutes, and he was severely criticised for it. He spent his time with those on the margins and those that society actually despised.There are so many amazing ways today that our communities, schools and churches reach out to those who are on the margins, but sadly it is still against a backdrop of division and judgement.
We are approaching the season of Advent a time of reflection as we await the birth of Jesus bringing light into the world. Maybe this month is a good time for each of us to think about how we bring light to others, how we reach out, how we make sure no-one in our small corner is left out in the cold.
Jesus reminds us that we are all loved by God, that none of us is missed out, that we all get the balloons and confetti.
“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10 vs 30
Silly though confetti in texts may seem, it led me to wonder about a few things. If I were still a teenager, and in so many ways I am glad I’m not, how hard it would be to keep up and feel included with the advancing, expensive technology and how easy it is to be left behind and how hard perhaps that feels.
And then to think about how hard it is to feel left out in general. Such feelings sadly are not reserved for childhood and adolescence, there are many in our society who are not able to feel part of the group and we are told that loneliness is one of the biggest diseases in our current age.
Jesus sat with the tax collectors and the prostitutes, and he was severely criticised for it. He spent his time with those on the margins and those that society actually despised.There are so many amazing ways today that our communities, schools and churches reach out to those who are on the margins, but sadly it is still against a backdrop of division and judgement.
We are approaching the season of Advent a time of reflection as we await the birth of Jesus bringing light into the world. Maybe this month is a good time for each of us to think about how we bring light to others, how we reach out, how we make sure no-one in our small corner is left out in the cold.
Jesus reminds us that we are all loved by God, that none of us is missed out, that we all get the balloons and confetti.
“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10 vs 30
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