Day Sixty Five - Given back with bonus and blessing

As with last June, after the first lockdown, people were queuing for over an hour before shops opened in some venues around England last Monday, 12th April.

“I was expecting much longer queues. What am I here for? There’s a tricorn hat that I can’t live without – or some advertiser thinks I can’t live without – I hope they have one left in my size by the time I get into HatsRUs.” (Certain details have been changed to protect the identity of this eager shopper.)

When the website of a northern newspaper website flagged up that police had been called to organise people into queues, I wondered why we British had forgotten how to queue. I also noticed the tweets (I have corrected the grammar to protect the innocent!):

“Please get a life, you sad people.”

“They weren’t shoppers, they were shoplifters.”

“We now know who to blame when we need yet another lockdown.”

I’ve gathered that tweeting is full of venom but I wonder if anyone thought: “I’m happy not to race to the shops but lockdown must be hell for people with a poor credit history who thus cannot shop online” or “I’ve quite liked spending hours on my own, but I know other personality types have craved being out and about”.

Is it just Covid-19 that has caused us to be so critical of others?

When I preached on Jesus appearing to Thomas (John 20) recently, I quoted Shakespeare: “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” (Julius Caesar, 3.2). Although not a fan of the Royal Family, I was pleased to note that in the many tributes to the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip’s notorious gaffes were mentioned but not focussed on. Instead, it was his service to the monarch that featured; the Queen herself called him her strength and stay.

Jesus told a large gathering, in Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount: “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back - given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” (Luke 6:37-38 The Message)

Heavenly Father, you created each of us unique which is wonderful. We have made great strides in overcoming any prejudices relating to gender, sexuality, social class and ethnicity but we still struggle with differences in personality and faith.

Jesus, our Saviour, forgive us when we condemn others, forgetting that we do not know enough to judge them; we have not walked a mile in their shoes.

Holy Spirit, engender in us more compassion, more tolerance, more patience and more gentleness. Teach us to believe afresh those words of Jesus, that “giving, not getting is the way. Generosity begets generosity”. Amen

Elaine Kinchin