Older people will remember the days when the car would not start and one had to use a starting handle to start the engine (until people learned about ‘bump-starting’ the car with a push).
The handle was inserted in the front of the car and one cranked the engine into life. Sometimes the handle ‘kicked back’ and it was possible to fracture the scaphoid bone at the base of the thumb in the wrist. The starting handle was a common cause of scaphoid fracture and it was a particularly nasty fracture because if it occurred in a certain part of the scaphoid bone, there was no blood supply to the tiny displaced fragment, which would slowly necrose (die) and produce arthritis in due course in the wrist joint of one’s working hand.
Nowadays, we simply turn the ignition key and the engine begins. Most young people know nothing about the starting handle era. This is true of many things in life. People switch on their computer, and know nothing about clearing out crashed files which is now done automatically. Similarly, people expect the smooth operation of their broadband, and younger users know nothing of the frustrations of slow dial-up modems.
Today’s frustrations are smoothed out so that future generations know nothing about them. This is progress, and computers are making it easier and easier as processes are automated and improved. People are used to automatic upgrades of computer programmes, and the regularity of these shows how many problems need continuous fixing.
The most wonderful upgrading is seen in the human body, as it repairs the damage we inflict upon it. All this is programmed, and it points to the wonder of the infinite mind of God our Creator. “I will praise thee; for I am awesomely and wonderfully made. Thy works are marvellous, and my soul knows this very well” Ps 139:14.