How much are you worth?

The current debates about welfare got me thinking this week about how much we are all worth. Some of us it seems are much more valuable than others; some of us deserve vast sums of money, status and power, whilst others deserve nothing.

At the heart of the Christian faith however is the Good News that God values each and every person exactly the same: we are all equally loved and valued by God. This radical aspect of the Christian faith can challenge us in all sorts of ways: God loves the multi-millionaire; God loves the person out of work struggling to keep their home; God loves the criminal in prison who murdered someone; God loves your average man or woman; God loves you and God loves me.

God values each and every person and wants them to flourish; and human flourishing involves repentance and conversion. Each and everyone of us, whoever we are, needs to repent of ways and habits of life that devalue and diminish others. If one person has too much than another person doesn't have enough; if one person commits adultery then another is hurt; if one person thinks only about his welfare and the welfare of his family then the orphan is neglected. We are all inter-connected - the things that we do and say - the life choices and decisions we make effect people we never see or meet. And the crisis about benefits brings into light this reality, that the choices we make as a society and as individuals have a huge impact on our common life and on human flourishing. We all need to learn a discipline in our consumption and a fairness in our approach. We cannot give up on anyone in society, we cannot abandon the criminal, the orphan, the one living with mental ill health, the one who is unemployed, the one who is addicted to drugs, the one who is exploitative and cruel, the one who is powerful. God loves us all - we need to start loving one another.

Comments

Radical Story-telling?

Public Domain The Flight into Egypt File: Adam Elsheimer - Die Flucht nach Ägypten (Alte Pinakothek) 2.jpg Created: 31 December 1608 Which of the Gospel writers include an account of the birth of Jesus? When were they writing, for what audience? Mark’s Gospel is almost universally considered to be the earliest Gospel and it’s understood that both Matthew and Luke used it as a source text. But Mark has no account of the birth of Jesus, he begins with John the Baptist and Jesus’ baptism. Only Matthew and Luke have birth narratives and they are different whilst sharing some common features: Mary and Joseph are to be married and there’s a miraculous virgin birth in Bethlehem. But that’s about it. Jesus is born in a house in Matthew’s account whilst he is placed in a manger in Luke’s because there’s ‘no room at the inn’. Mary’s thoughts and feelings are not mentioned in Matthew at all, whilst from Luke we get the story of the Visitation, Annunciation and the wonderfu...

Rest in Christ

Girl in Hammock, Winslow Homer, 1873, from Wikipedia This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. I am not normally someone who finds it easy to rest or relax; I have a sense that that is true for many people! However, my son received a hammock for his 6 th birthday and it’s been enjoyed by the whole family. We are blessed by having some of the most fantastically beautiful trees in our garden, huge glorious trees, which at the moment, in their varying versions of green and burnt amber are an absolute delight to view from the hammock. Looking upwards from a horizontal position really enables you to breathe in their grandeur and awesomeness in an overwhelming way. Together with the gentle rocking, it really is an experience ...

Anthem for Doomed Youth

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? Only the monstrous anger of the guns. Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons. No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, – The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires. What candle may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. The pallor10 of girls' brows shall be their pall; Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds. Wilfred Owen, September - October, 1917 Wilfrid Owen’s poetry introduced me to the reality of war as a student at secondary school, along with Siegfried Sassoon and Robert Graves these were the writers that helped me see the sacrifice that we ask others to make on our behalf when we send them to fight for us. These writers showed us wh...

Rev elations

Search This Blog