Bl**dy Bankers - deserve all they get

So went a conversation this morning as the news that almost 20,000 Barclays staff were to lose their jobs over the coming months - around half coming from the UK - hit the news.

I take a look at the news ticker and what do I see:

• Barclays cuts 14,000 jobs this year 
• Morrisons sales fall 8.2% 

So it's definitely not a rosy morning (actually it's raining as I type this) is it?

But of the 'bankers' - the reality is that when people want to lash out at the fat cats in the banking world, those people who drove the world's economies onto the rocks (with loads of help from the rest of the world who never stop to ask where profits, dividends and cheap prices on what should be more costly goods have their roots and realities) are cheering the wrong things. Those who lose their jobs will be the ordinary folk who live up your street and sit next to you on the train and shop at Aldi and Lidl rather than Fortnums and Horrids, drive flashy cars and live exorbitant lifestyles (thanks in some way - to us).

Not the most rational thought around!

Worse still those who claim to be Christian and are cheering are taking pleasure from the distress of others. The Bible tells us that love is what Christians are supposed to be about. That said, we do a great job of masking it behind our outrages and righteous indignation and our petty hatreds.

In 1 Corinthians 13 (RVV) the Apostle Paul tells us that:

Love never gives up, regardless.

Love is concerned with caring more for others than it does for ourselves.

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have but takes joy in what it does!

Love doesn’t strut, posture, boast, brag or pose.

Love doesn’t force itself on others but respects private space and the dignity of of others.

Love isn’t concerned with a 'me first' culture or mindset but prefers and serves others.

Love doesn’t fly off the handle, or get the punch in first, even when we think it is justified.

Love doesn’t keep score of the sins of others but is concerned with our own sins first.

Love takes no pleasure when others are reduced to tears, pulled down or humiliated.

Love takes pleasure in truth, in all its aspects, regardless of how that might make us look or feel.

Love puts up with stuff because, all things considered, look at the model Jesus left us!

Love trusts God and always looks for the best in others.

Love is forward looking, it doesn't keep a record of what has been, only of what can be and it keeps on looking even when experience might lead others to stop.

So - pray and seek to help those who might just be losing their jobs (regardless of where they work).

Pax

The Ninth Day of Christmas - Nine Fruits

Forget all that five a day stuff - here's a NINE (from Galatians chapter five) that could change your life! They, the Fruit (not fruits) of the Spirit, look like this:

1. Love,
2. Joy,
3. Peace,
4. Forbearance
5. Kindness
6. Goodness,
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness, and
9. Self-control

So what are they?
 The 'Fruit of the Spirit' (not fruits) is the remedy to all the stuff that is referred to as the 'Acts of the Flesh', which are also found in chapter five (verses 19-21):

Sexual Immorality, Impurity and Debauchery; Idolatry and Witchcraft; Hatred, Discord, Jealousy, Fits of Rage, Selfish Ambition, Dissensions, Factions and Envy; Drunkenness, Orgies, and the like.

Having listed these  'Acts of the Flesh' (recognise any in your life?) Paul continues:

'I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control - Against such things there is no law.

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.'

So in a nutshell, the nine fruit of the Spirit are the very things we'd love to see in out lives and the lives of those around us - and the good news is that you can, all you need to do is talk to the wholesaler ;-)

Christians- Stop stealing and get an honest job!

One of my colleagues woke me with a bit of a challenge when he wrote:

"It's not what you get, it's what you give: "Thieves should stop stealing and get a job doing honest work with their hands. Then they'll be able to give to the poor." (Ephesians 4:28)

John Piper's commentary on this verse is instructive:
"There are three levels of how to live.
1.) You can steal to get.
2.) You can work to get.
3.) You can work to get 'in order to give'.

Too many professing Christians live on level two. But the Bible pushes us relentlessly to level three."

Working to get is good but no more than anyone should do. Working to get to give is better and is the way of Christ."

It's amazing but I get to hear of so many churches that are struggling financially and yet find nice new cars outside the church building. Not only that but I am regaled by stories of wonderfully exotic holidays and shown, or told of, the very latest in fashion, technology and person-possessing property (don't try that after a four service Sunday when you've misjudged the communion wine at them all!).

If we were to preach the heading of this blog entry we'd be faced with angry and affronted church members I'm sure, but there is something we need to take away from this. So let's have a look see:

The Bible unequivocally (Exodus 20: 15) tells us that we must refrain from stealing. This means that we don't 'steal to live' and definitely not to prosper (which I guess is what having more than the basics for living must be thought of - being prosperous).

None of us can give what we do not own to another, for it is not ours so how could we offer stolen things to God, for to offer Him stolen goods is to not only defile Him but to rebel against Him too? Bring into the equation tithes and offerings (a contentious sermon in prospect for some I meet!) where bringing as tribute to God anything dodgy would really us in it, wouldn't it?

Stealing is actually a very clever reference insofar as Paul is concerned for this often disregarded act is one of which most commonly takes the silver behind lying. To cease stealing is to be in accord with God's call on our lives in such a way that our daily living and worship becomes right. Righteousness and obedience are prime factors in our ability to lead others into the 'Way of the LORD'

So those of us who don't steal have a Pharisee point and are prompted to work out a way whereby we can live without sinning (in that way at least!).

So what do we do to live?

We we either get a job, live off rich families and friends, win the lottery or charge people for the answer to the question, "What do we, as Christians, do to live?". (I'd like to think this also applies to non-Christians but I'll only preach to the converted with this stuff today!)

We've cracked part the first: Stop stealing and are struggling with the second, which is 'get a job'! So what sort of job? The answer to which is, a proper job - one that pays (a difficult task these days, especially as there are so many who pay little and only want to pay the little for the minimum hours they can to get the job done).

So what we need to do is look at the third part which basically says get enough to pay for all you need to pay for which means shelter, food, heat, light and stuff for yourself and your family (clothes and the like). Add to this the money you might need to pay the taxman (25%) and the God man (10% service charge to the Lord please?) and then that's the basics dealt with. But of course there is more to be considered isn't there (cigarettes, alcohol, entertainment, SKY, cars and so many other other basics)?

The key to the passage that challenged me is that we need to be right in the area of stealing and get our money for the basics from honest labour. We need to make sure that we define our basics correctly (I think I have) and move forward from there. The problem is that so many Christians I meet will make out their list like this:

Income: 25n (after tax - so George Osborne's paid)
Expenditure
House = 7n
Food = 5n
Energy = 3n
Clothes = 2n
Entertainment = 3n
Other stuff = 3n
What's left = 2n

What God gets (plate at the ready and drumroll please . . . . )

Here you are God - here's you 1n as usual!

Seems to me that whilst most (many, some, all?) Christians don't steal from man, they also don't manage to either earn enough or perhaps merely give enough to prevent them from shortchanging God (and being in a place to care for the needs of those around them) and there is a chance that this might be considered to be stealing from God (or at least denying Him what might rightfully be considered His, which is a much nicer term isn't it?).

The Bible does indeed, "Push us relentlessly to level three," for it here that we settle all our debts and provide for those around as they have need from what it is that we have.

Now, I'm convinced - how on earth will I convince others?

A final thought:

where your treasure is, there will your heart be also!(Matt 6:21)