In the age of COVID-19, how do we define inconvenience? A long line at the checkout, our favourite brand of toilet paper out of stock, overnight delivery taking an extra day, or the 5-minute late coffee order a bit burnt for our liking?
And yet, COVID-19 tempted us with a dependence. Unable to leave homes or see friends, the lure of online shopping kept us entertained as we awaited deliveries, and the grand re-opening of cafés prompted us eagerly out of the hermit kingdoms we had created.
The prophetic Wall-E (Spoiler Alert)
This way of living that we grew accustomed to in COVID leads me to think a 2008 apocalyptic cartoon was a tad too prophetic.
Wall-E (2008) tells the tale of a small robot, designed to clean up a trash-filled Earth, who hilariously finds himself on Earth’s remaining colony floating on a ship in space.
As Wall-E observes this colony, he witnesses inhabitants in their floating vehicle chairs, relaxing 24/7, lazily choosing their drink snack of choice (which is naturally delivered straight to one’s hand) whilst ignoring anything not emanating from the screen before their eyes. Sound familiar?
In the film, when the status quo is disrupted, inhabitants find themselves uncertain; when they fall off their vehicles, they are unable to walk. The climatic battle centres around one inhabitant’s ability to rise to his feet, a phenomenon likely unseen on the colony ship for years, maybe decades.
We are a little like the space ship’s inhabitants, but with a more concerning twist. We don’t embrace the disrupted status quo, ultimately resulting in triumph over our constrains. Instead, we get frustrated.
The cost of entitlement
In a recent article by Newstalk ZB’s Kate Hawkesby titled, Staffing issues might in fact be caused by ourselves as the customers, Hawkesby argues that a decline in hospitality staff is due to an increase in customer entitlement and abuse directed at staff.
Since the onset of COVID, as we have become more reliant on hospitality and service industries (couriers, food delivery, cafés, supermarkets), we have become more entitled.
In a consumer age, we have not only become aware of this social contract we enter into when buying services, but we have come to demand it to the letter. There is no room for sloppiness or less than perfection, no room for divergence. If the overnight courier is a day late, it’s a complaint to the Commission.
If it’s a fumbled frappe, it’s simply outrageous.
The worker is worthy of his wages
There is much Scripture that could be drawn on to consider what sort of Christian character one ought to possess instead of this demeanour of entitlement. But what does Scripture say about how we ought to consider those in hospitality, service, or the health sector?
In 1 Timothy chapter 5, verse 18, Paul exhorts Timothy to treat elders in this way,
“For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The labourer deserves his wages.’”
Speaking in context, Paul reminds Timothy that effective elders are worthy of “double honour” (verse 17). Cross-referencing this with passages in 1 Corinthians and Proverbs leads us to see Paul reminds Timothy here that elders are deserving of the honour they receive, the reward they receive, for leading effectively.
But what of our grocer, courier, or district health nurse? Under strained times such as these, are they not worthy of honour? Or do the wages they are due include abuse and scorn from those they are seeking to provide for and serve?
When we find ourselves frustrated about a lukewarm coffee or a grocery line taking longer than expected, we forfeit the opportunity for fellowship, for community, for sincerity of character, and kindness.
Is it worth it? I don’t think it ever has been, or ever will be.
May we not forfeit fellowship or something as trivial as a fumbled frappe.