There is a subtle characterization in the minds of many people about the unemployed and I found out yesterday that I am one of them, that here are the failures of our society, the ones who haven't measured up to what we perceive as a good citizen of our country. That perception is reinforced by the way in which Centrelink and their staff relate to you. You are perceived as guilty until you can prove your identity, income, situation etc. There are rules and no exceptions. The implication is that you are here to rip off the system and we are here to prevent you. If you didn't have the perception in the first place it might be different but the fact is that we are bombarded with current affairs shows and right wing talkback condemning the dole cheats of our society and Government ministers promising to crack down even harder to pander to their perception of the electorate.

The other side to this is the materialistic pride that one gets from achieving a highly paid and responsible professional position. Every time we watch TV the message is being subtly reinforced that if only we can get a highly paid job to be able to afford all of the things we are being urged to buy then our life will be complete. The implication is that if we don't have those things that we haven't achieved and are in fact "losers" not "winners".

God doesn't look at things like that. Every person I met at Centrelink yesterday was God's first class handiwork, a unique person, created in His image perfectly and loved by Him. It doesn't matter what state they are in He loves them anyway and desires to know them better and better. He desires to remove the marks of sin in their lives and restore them to relationship with Him. Rather than setting down rules to govern their relationship with Him He has created a way fo all of their past and future faults to be forgiven through grace.

Not only is all of this true for the other people at Centrelink but true for me too and for all the people not at Centrelink. So rather than being reduced in status I guess I had a privilege yesterday to meet some other parts of God's magnificent creation. What a different slant on things ! If I can just learn to measure my self worth more by who God is and what He has done for me and less by my external circumstances I think I will be well along the road to dealing with this situation better.

I don't think I've dealt with all of this yet but I know it's there now and maybe that's the first step in allowing God to change me.