I am not sure how many of you have used the new ATM machines at the bank. The other day, I had a few dollars to deposit, collected monies from the sale of my book; and there was a long line up to see a teller, so I decided to go to the ATM machine.
The new machines do not require any envelope for your deposits, they take them as they are, or do they? The machine does the counting of the deposited items up to forty pieces at a time.
I did not have forty items to deposit; however, I had fourteen items – two of them were five-dollar bills. I knew deep inside that one of the five-dollar bills was going to cause a problem, as it was wrinkled and messy looking. I straightened it up as much as possible and put it with the rest. Even though the five-dollar bill looked messy and out of shape, anyone could still see that it was a five-dollar bill – good to use as currency. I put my Interac card in the machine, entered my code, chose to make a deposit and put the items in the opening.
I held my breath to see what would the machine do. Yes, it rejected the wrinkled, five-dollar bill. The machine asked if I wanted to continue the deposit with the rest of the items and return this one or cancel the entire transaction. I chose, Cancel, Return ALL.
Being, who I am, I was not going to give up that easily to this machine… I went through the whole process again – JUST in case the machine changed its mind and came to its senses – Alas, NO! What sense does the machine have, except to follow what it has been programmed to do. There is no personal logic, human touch. Frustrated, not just because of the situation, but more so of the feeling I already had in my heart from the beginning.
By this time the line up at the tellers was finished and I cancelled the transaction for the second time, and went to see a teller.
After greeting her, I said, “The ATM does not like my five-dollar bill and is rejecting it, I hope you will take it.” Her reply was, “Of course we will take it, let me see”. She started the process of this small deposit. Right there and then, it came to me like lightning… “The World looks for perfection – it programs machine to have an “eye” for the perfect ones to be accepted.
Humanity wants to create perfection that is only skin deep, but God knows our potential and takes us, loves us, accepts us as we are. With our outer imperfections, we are still valued, cherished, treasured and beloved – God Loves us… People may look for perfect shapes and shiny smiles – but we are perfect in the Love of God”.
Friends, this might be a very simple incident that the machine was programmed to perform – but the deeper question is, how are we programming ourselves, our children, our society. Are we open to embrace our imperfections and broken edges?
Beauty and Value is in the eye of the beholder – may we see beyond these eyes and be grateful beyond just words.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
You remind me to see God moments at all times, thanks. Blessings my dear friend, Lynne
You are most welcome my dear… God is, with EVERY Breath We Take… Thanks for your comment. It makes me realize how important is to fellowship together, even through the web. Hugs.