Musing further on ‘Lessons we must learn’ from our coronavirus-world… I believe we have seen a greater focus on people:
News about hospitals has been about patients, nurses, doctors, cleaning staff, deaths, recoveries… people.
News about education has been about teachers, children learning, parents home-schooling, students’ exam results… people.
The work-place has been about people – living out their vocation, doing a good job, retaining employment.
The community has been about people – concern for the vulnerable, helping and supporting, neighbours being neighbours,
Story-summary, Sermon-outline
Jesus tells a story of a woman who loses a silver coin. She searches until she finds it (Luke 15:8-10)
- Sinners – Jesus is responding to the criticism, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them
- Silver – Sinners – society’s outcasts and rejects with a dubious reputation – are valuable but lost
- Search – Loss is not accepted or acceptable. It is worth taking time and trouble to search
- Special – The coin is found. People – the sinner repenting, the lost soul turning to God – are special. Repenting, returning, rejoicing….
Old Normal: One lesson we have learnt is that the old normal was familiar, but wasn’t always that good:
Confrontational politics that condemns the wrong and seeks out the one to blame; work that focuses on budgets and product at the expense of people; power and control that overlooks humble service; education and health services that are political pawns…
New Normal: I believe we have seen glimpses of what could be a new positive people-focused normal:
Politics that involves co-operation; recognising and praising what is good and right; people valued as people rather than what they can achieve; seeing, hoping for and expecting the best in people; gratitude not grumpiness; less focus on ‘celebrity stars’ and more on ‘ordinary, good people’…
And with ordinary, good people we can build and develop strong families and caring communities…
