What bothers me about these programmes is not the so-called expert comments and feedback, or even the painful sight of some aspiring pop-star pleading for a second chance. No, what bothers me is the reaction of the audience. The way they boo the judges, who, to be fair, are simply giving their opinions as they have been asked to do. You may not agree with their assessment, but that doesn't give you the right to either tell them they don't know what they are talking about or to boo them into submission.
How impolite have we become?
Maybe it was just the way I was brought up but I even had a hard time booing the villain at the pantomime because I was always told it was impolite to boo anyone!
Now, from a Christian perspective the challenge lies in the place grace and prayer occupies in all of this. Can we be gracious and boo at the same time? I'm not sure we can, and if, as Christians, we allow ourselves to get sucked into an attitude that reinforces criticism that is far from constructive, where is the grace in that? Our history probably tells the story.
At the moment the wider community of Bedford is much vexed about travellers. There is a lot of criticism and head-shaking about them. And if it were not the travellers it would be the hoodies, and if not the hoodies it would be the homeless and if not the homeless the restless children in supermarkets. In other words there is always something about which we could and do complain.
So why not pray instead, and if not instead then at least first. Instead of opening our mouths to criticise and complain, let's close our eyes and bow our heads (when practical!) and pray.
This is not about avoiding conflict or ignoring issues and concerns that demand solutions. It's about calling on the God who cares to fill any and every situation with grace. It's about involving the one who cares.
So, to quote the title of a book: Don't just stand there, pray something!
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