Today's Scripture Reading (October 8, 2025): Psalm 102
I recently got mad at my
bank. From my point of view, they had committed a few unforced errors in a row,
and I wasn't happy. One of the people that I spoke with at the bank heard me,
and I was settling down, but this bank advisor had a request. He told me, "Garry,
I know that this is not part of your personality, but I need you to go into the
bank in person (ever since the pandemic, I have done most of my banking
online), and get angry with them." (He also said something about making
some heads roll.) He instructed me to talk to one of the Branch Managers.
A couple of days later, I
found myself standing in front of a bank teller, asking to speak with a
manager. Many years ago, getting angry at some incompetents would have been an
easy thing for me, but times have changed, and apparently so have I. The
manager was busy, but I volunteered to go and sit in the waiting room at the
front of the bank. Another advisor I had dealt with noticed me and came to find
out if something was wrong. And I just repeated that I wasn't happy. She stayed
with me, and we talked for a bit. Of course, she tried to softly explain that
the bank's unforced errors were really my fault, which didn't increase my joy.
Finally, the manager showed
up, and I was ushered into a room, where we discussed the errors that had upset
me. The manager defended his team, and I agreed; the team members were great,
which meant that the problem had to be systemic within the bank. So, the
manager defended the bank systems, to which I wanted to tell him that he couldn't
have it both ways, but I decided wisdom was to hold my tongue. We talked a
little more before he agreed to look into the situation and get back to me. I
think I was as happy to walk out of the bank as they were glad to get rid of
me.
It has been about a month
since that meeting at the bank. And, as of yet, no one from the bank has gotten
back to me, but there have also been no more errors. I am not sure if that is a
win, but we will see if anything changes moving forward.
The truth is that often, we
just need to be heard. In our society, where it seems harder and harder to get
corporations and banks to consider the harm their actions can cause, they
sometimes seem to run our lives without much regard for the consequences. And
what is troubling is that they don't seem to care. If it were just one bank or
one corporation, maybe we could isolate them and move away from their products
and services. However, sometimes they seem to know that the consumer has no
place to go. So, they don't have to change, listen, or answer.
The Psalmist has one request
of God: "Hear me." Listen to my words; understand the angst rising
inside me. Perhaps this is all in your will, and my circumstances won't change,
but I need to know that you at least hear me, because I am struggling and I
need to know that you care; that you will still stand with me as I face the
approaching storm.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading:
Psalm 104
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