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9th March 2010 by Sandy MacDonald

 On our recent overseas holiday we had a great time, of course, but we also experienced some surprising lack of common courtesy.  This also made us appreciate the manners of typical Aussies (who knew that we would do better at this than some other countries?)  I can also say that we’ve experienced bad manners in other places too though.  Good manners and bad manners can’t really be assigned to specific countries or cultures.

 Nevertheless, in a country that has a government-sponsored campaign about being nice and polite and social etiquette stuff, we were surprised to often have people push ahead of us to get into a lift or onto a train or monorail.  We were a family with two kids in a stroller while the people pushing past us were individuals or groups without wheelchairs or strollers or young children.  We were trying to abide by our place in the queue – and often we were the first ones waiting.

 I have wondered whether it was something to do with what they call “kiasu.”  Kiasu is a fear of missing out and is a cultural phenomenon in that country.  Perhaps the people were worried that there would never be another lift?

 Probably my strongest personal value is justice.  This could account for how frustrated I get with people who push in or can’t wait in line.

 Yep, I get annoyed at drivers who appear to deliberately drive up the wrong lane then stop traffic as they squeeze into the lane they actually need.  I get bothered that I always seem to choose the slowest line in the supermarket.  I am incensed by people who cheat or sneak through the lines for rides at theme parks.  There are probably a whole host of other ways people push in that bug me as well but I’ll leave them to your imagination.

 So, how do you think I would have reacted if I were in the crowded house when the roof started falling in and a guy got dumped through the hole in the roof at Jesus’ feet?  Not happy, Jan!

 I really do hope though that I would have been excited to witness the twin miracles of healing and forgiveness and not have been bitter because my sense of justice got crossed.

 When I read the story in Mark 2:1-12, I do celebrate the determination and creativity of the paralysed man’s friends.  I do celebrate the wonder of Jesus’ offering both forgiveness of sins and physical healing.  And I do wonder at the homeowner’s reaction to his or her new skylight!

 You know what?  I have to realise, too, that I’ve probably pushed in myself in my urgency to connect with Jesus at times.  Isn’t it awesome that we don’t have to queue up to get God’s attention?  It’s one of those “omni-” things about God that he can respond to all of us at the same time without making anyone miss out.

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