Recently I was messaging some friends to organise our next catch up.

In our chat on Whatsapp, I discovered there’d suddenly been a few messages back and forth, a day had been suggested and my friends were free across the whole day.

It was definitely time for me to give my two cents’ worth.

I messaged back that likewise I was free whenever. Even though I was livestreaming a Christian conference in the morning of the chosen day, I was sure they’d have the content on demand, so I could watch it whenever.

As I hit the send button a few things struck me.

Firstly, the fact that I even had the vocabulary of ‘livestream’ and ‘on demand’ at my disposal. Rewind only a short time back and I wouldn’t know such terms.

The second thing that struck me was the phrase ‘on demand’ and how wrong it seemed for anything connected to a Christian conference to be something about which people made a demand.

It was so un-Christian. Yet so modern Western society at the same time.

Not long after the messaging, I went to a local shopping centre to attempt to make a purchase (attempt being the operative word). On arrival, driving around the carpark, I stopped at one point as I could see a car coming my direction. If I’d kept driving straight, we would have hit. So, of course, I stopped, completely out of the way.

Regardless of the fact that I was not in the other driver’s way and that I was stationary, they came charging in my direction and tooted their horn at me.

On demand.

They were driving that way and there was the smallest possibility that I might get in their way and – gasp, shock horror – even take a car space that they wanted.

I want it, so I’ll have it. Now. And anyone in my way had better move out.

On demand.

There were a number of car spaces available, so I really don’t know what their problem was…

And before this comes across as some pious rant, let me remind you that I attempted to make a purchase in that shopping centre – but couldn’t. Even when visiting three stores.

That really annoyed me.

On demand? What I wanted sure wasn’t.

And I’m sure the level of agitation I had was higher than it should be, but… I’m a part of modern western society, aren’t I?

I’m no different.

Still, it’s good to step back and think about a better way to respond and that means to think about Jesus’ attitude. Take this for example:

Jesus, the Son of Man came to this planet and requested that we meet his every wish on demand and enslave ourselves to his every bidding.

Heard that one before? No? Neither have I.

What Mark 10:45 actually says, is this:

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

On demand?

It’s not what Christ was like. It’s un-Christ-ian behaviour.

Yet, unfortunately, there’s more than just a little bit of ‘modern western society’ in all of us, myself included. Something to reflect upon this week, I guess.

Yours in attempting to be less demanding,

Alison