A New Grill
This past Sunday was Father’s Day. I cooked on my new grill. I seem to get a new grill about every third Father’s Day, and have for some time. I’ve been told by some folks that a grill ought to last longer than that. I would tend to agree, but it hasn’t for me. I don’t think that it’s just the time frame. I put a lot of miles on a grill. We cook on it several times a month. So, I wear them out pretty quickly.
I know to clean it regularly. I keep a cover on it. And it stays under the roofline of the back deck. Still, the burners and the drip plates wear out regularly. I’ve replaced the plates before, but by the time the burners go it’s time for me to get a new grill. I’ve just decided to go with the basic grill, no frills, and replace it when needed.
Unfortunately, that is how we are in a lot of things today. We live in a throwaway society. I had an uncle who was a television repairman for 30 years. He made a good living for his family. Good luck finding a TV repair shop today. When your TV dies you go buy another one. Microwaves, toaster ovens, and stereos, too.
Even worse, we live in a time when people are considered dispensable. And there are times when a person not doing his or her job needs to be replaced. I get that. But sometimes I wonder. Did we train that person properly? Did we give her all of the resources she needed to do the job? Or did we just throw him in the fire and hope he could escape unsinged?
People are precious to God. He created us in His image. That means all people. Even the creepy neighbor down the street, the so-called friend who betrayed you, and your ex-mother-in-law. Jesus once said that when we treat others in a certain way, we had treated Him in that way.
I pray that I will not see people as a nuisance in my ministry, but I will recognize that every person I encounter was placed there by God. We have been called to serve others in Jesus’ name. I pray that we will do just that.
By the way, the steaks were delicious.
