Having consideration for others …

Most of us are woefully lacking in self-awareness, as well as “other awareness.” That usually translates into our lacking sincere consideration of others, although we don’t like to admit that about ourselves.

I was captivated by a news report by Casey Baseel for Sora News that really demonstrates consideration for others:

• Japanese trains are awesome for a number of reasons, not the least of which is how amazingly punctual they are. But on Tuesday, a train on the Tokyo-area Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company’s Tsukuba Express line failed to stick to its timetable.

The line connects Akihabara in Tokyo with Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture, and on weekday mornings there’s supposed to be a northbound train that leaves Minami Nagareyama Station at 9:44 a.m. However, the train instead left at 9:43:40, 20 seconds earlier than it’s supposed to.

Before the day was done, the Tsukuba Express management issued an official apology, posted to the company’s website. The statement reads:

“On November 14, at approximately 9:44 a.m., a northbound Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company (main office in Tokyo, Chiyoda Ward, President & CEO Koichi Yugi) train left Minami Nagareyama Station roughly 20 seconds earlier than the time indicated on the timetable. We deeply apologize for the severe inconvenience imposed upon our customers.”

… [T]he fact that Japanese companies care so much about customer satisfaction, consistently try to look at things from the end-user’s point of view, and are willing to offer a sincere apology even for understandable inconveniences is, really, one of the most beautiful parts of Japanese society.

The writer concluded with this insight:

How far afield do you have to stray before you stop to say, “I’m sorry?” In the West, we are quick to make excuses and slow to consider the other person’s point of view. Indeed, a sincere apology for an understandable inconvenience is a beautiful thing. It shows that we are looking at things first and foremost with an attitude of service.

Stories like this help us see how inconsiderate we might be. Chances are, most people react to a story like this by thinking being 20 seconds early is “no big deal,” and anyone who felt inconvenienced by something so “trivial” has a problem. In the overall scheme of things, a train being 20 seconds early isn’t life-shattering, but that’s not the point. The issue is how common it is for us to give little to no consideration of others about anything.

That’s very different from the life Jesus demonstrated for us to live, and having a sincere consideration for others is something the apostle Paul admonished us to nurture …

“Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others,” 1 Corinthians 10:24.

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too,” Philippians 2:3-4.

The writer of Hebrews adds, “And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God” (Hebrews 13:16).

That’s the tip of the iceberg regarding what the Bible really has to say related to giving consideration to others. From what we say, to controlling our anger, to getting rid of things like bitterness, envy, wrath, etc., all correlate to the consideration we give others. And then there’s the over-arching directive of …

“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments,” Matthew 22:37-40.

Loving others is the ultimate act of showing consideration for others, and from love springs a delight in being considerate …

“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other,” Romans 12:10.

A Japanese company is so considerate of others it makes a public apology for the “inconvenience” of running a train 20 SECONDS early. How are you at giving consideration to the people in your life?

Scotty