For God’s Sake
One time she replied in an overly pleasant, “aw-shucks” way, “Oh, our windows are working just fine! They open and close, and there’s such a nice breeze today!”
“No, madam,” the scammer corrected, “I’m talking about the Windows on your computer.”
“On my computer?” she gasped in feigned surprise. “Now, why would anyone put a window in their computer?”
On it went, back and forth, until the very frustrated scammer said rather curtly, “Madam, YOU are an idiot!”
Then HE hung up on her. It was beautiful!
Recently, in one of life’s little ironies, I had to call Microsoft because I really did have a problem with my Windows. First, I went to YouTube, but the fix the videos offered didn’t work. Next, I engaged in an online chat with a Microsoft tech, who must have a required greeting protocol because the first several responses to my very direct statements of my problem were disconnected pleasantries. It almost made me long for those other “Microsoft” techs.
The solution, the tech said, would require a remote session, me giving the tech the complete access to my computer the scammers long for. It is a weird and wonderful thing to watch your cursor flit over the screen, opening and closing windows, at someone else’s bidding while you sit back and drink coffee. All this fun for a fee of $49. The tech was unsuccessful and offered to muddle about more if I called back. Finally, I went to a local professional who had been recommended to me. He fixed the problem, put in a new, solid-state drive and now my computer runs smoothly and is lightning fast. He will provide ongoing tech support.
I thought about how my computer experience mirrored our universal life experience. Sin, like a computer virus, has planted itself in our lives, corrupting and frustrating them, robbing us of the life God has designed for us. There are scammers offering the solution to our sin problem, but they have no interest in our welfare. They happily take your money in exchange for empty promises. If their promises fail, it was because of your lack of faith.
Many world religions offer established protocols of elaborate rites and rituals you must perform, or let others perform for you, and it will go well for you. If these don’t work, come back again and they will try others.
I have found the one solution that works, a free, gracious gift from a loving God. It required only that I put my trust in the solution God provided – the Lord Jesus Christ. In a most amazing exchange, Christ took my sin upon himself, died to pay my sin penalty, and through faith in him I was given his perfect righteousness. Now, I have a new life that is joy-filled and productive, with lifetime “tech support.” This is an offer I highly recommend that you take.