Since the end of the Second World War, society has moved away from a philosophy of one-size-fits- all to made-to-measure. I am not only talking about clothes but everything. We only need to walk into a supermarket and look at the vast choice available to realise that the customer is king. We can choose the product which exactly fits our criteria and needs. Take cornflakes, for example: we can choose the original cornflakes, cheaper supermarkets' own-brand cornflakes, high fibre flakes, fairtrade cornflakes, flakes with various types of dried fruit added, sugar coated or with chocolate; the choice is huge and that is an example of just one product.
How many choices do we make each day? Choices about what to wear, where to go, how to get there, when to leave or come back, what, when, where and how much to eat; our choices might be based on pleasure, ethics, desire, peer pressure, conformity or any number of other reasons. We are a society which is used to making choices: we expect that and we are used to having views and opinions which we can choose to air in a variety of ways if we wish.
How does our faith fit in to all this? We may choose to wear only fairtrade clothing which is produced for a fair days' pay in another country. This of course will affect our fashion choices and style. We may choose to wear clothing that is not produced by child labour. Are we well enough informed to know which chainstores are using suppliers who have no child employees or do we not look into it and just hope for the best?
We can ask the same of the food we eat, is the farmer who produced it being paid a fair price for the product? Does he have enough to be able to feed his own family? Soya is produced in many countries, it is used in our food but also in the feed given to cattle in meat production. Huge amounts of rain forest is being cleared to give farmland so more products, especially soya, can be produced for animal feed in the western world.
Farmers in some countries are forced to buy seed which has been gene manipulated to only produce one crop. This means that the farmer cannot keep back some of his crop for the following year and plant it to produce a harvest, it would not grow. New seed has to be bought each year but what if the crop fails due to weather or pest? The farmer then has no money to buy more seed for the following year...
These issues should concern us a Christians, we ought to know what is going on in our world when it affects us and the choices we make. God is a god of justice, he is always on the side of the poor, the weak and the vulnerable. We who worship him and seek to live our lives for him should try to be like him, supporting the poor, weak and vulnerable.
It is easy for us to say that we alone cannot change the world. That is true but we are not necessarily called to change the world either. We are however called by God to make wise and godly choices when and where we can. With modern technology it is easy to find out about the products we buy if we choose to but that perhaps is a choice we unconsciously make; to not find out, so we don't have to respond to facts we are uncomfortable with.
This is one example of many excellent websites for information:
http://www.traidcraft.co.uk/international_development
Play the trade game:
http://www.thebuyinggame.org/
More info, reports on purchasing practice:
http://www.traidcraft.co.uk/international_development/policy_work/purchasing_practices/purchasing_practices_reports.htm
http://www.traidcraft.co.uk/international_development/policy_work/purchasing_practices/purchasing_practices_reports.htm
The Lord our God says:
Psalm 82.2-4
“How long will you defend the unjust
and show partiality to the wicked?
Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
onsdag 16. mai 2012
Choices, decisions etc.
Do you every get tired of making decisions? Modern life seems to allow us to decide so many things for ourselves. We can make choices about such a lot of things that affect us. Even just one generation ago things were different. To take an everyday example when we go shopping we can decide which products to buy. Not only which products but there are countless varieties of each product. Take cornflakes for example we can buy the original variety, the supermarket's own brand, fairtrade, high-fibre, sugar coated, with dried fruits added (here we can decide which dried fruits we prefer), chocolate coated etc. The choice is vast.
We are no longer expected to follow our parents into the family buisness or trade although we might choose to do. We can choose our career for ourselves. We are no longer expected to live in the same place we were brought up and where our family has lived for many generations. We can choose where to live.
Our choices can be based on a number of different things such as taste, desire, convenience, peer-pressure, faith, ethics and a variety of other things. We make so many decisions in just one day that we don't necessarily think them over, deciding has become second nature. Our decisions are usually based around what suits us. Our lives can be shaped to what we want, need or prefer. We live in a consumer society where buisness and activities compete to be the best and mostconvenient for their user group.
We are used to everything fitting us or being free to choose not to be part of it. What about living as a disciple of Jesus. This is where things can get more difficult or complicated because being a disciple of someoen means copying and behaaving like the master. It is easy to choose to copy and be like Jesus when it is convenient to us but what do we do when it is inconvenient or difficult? Jesus calls us to look after the poor, weak and vulnerable. How seriously do we take that? Does it for exaample impact our everyday choices such as buying fairtrade products as opposed to cheaper or easily accessible ones? Does it affect the way we make our everyday decisions?
Following Jesus as one of his disciples means that we have to lay down our lives in surrender to him. We sing about it in worship, we pray "your will be done" in the Lord's prayer but are we active in bringing it about. One-size-fits-all is not in fashon at the moment society offers us mmade-to-measure lives. Following Jesus means basing our decisions and choices on our Lord and his view of what it means to follow him in the little things of life as well as the big ones.
I have this week been involved in a discussion group with some Christians I don't know well. The conversation was based around churches and where we find what we want in a church. Where the service times suit our personal timetable, where the style is to our taste, where the music is the type we like, where there are other people like ourselves. Basically it was all about what I want and need. The made to measure society has made it into church. I don't want to attend that one if it isn't a perfect fit for me. I sat and listened for a while and then in a lul asked for permission to throw a granade in. I asked where the sense of calling was. What about asking God where He intends us to attend? Where does God want us to use the gifts and talents he has Given us? Where does he want is to give of ourselves to build His kingdom? In essence "Where do you want me to serve you?"
I turned the discussion on its head because I believe that when we give our lives to Him we give Him everything and allow Him to guide us and use us as He sees fit. The question changes from "Where do I get my needs met and feel comfortable?" to "Where do you want me Lord and how would you like me to serve you?" That is radical discipleship and can be costly but is ultimately worth it. As a disciple of Jesus we have chosen to follow him wherever he leads us and we mustn't forget to ask him where, what, when and how as we make our little and big decisions in life.
Being a disciple means following the Master. Are we willing to follow where he leads and not count the cost? I cannot promise from my experience that it will lead to an easy life, riches, friends or the good life. What I have however learnt is that following Him is never dull, never boring or predictable and he really does keep his word when he says he will never leave us or forsake us.
I finish with the words of a popular song:
We are no longer expected to follow our parents into the family buisness or trade although we might choose to do. We can choose our career for ourselves. We are no longer expected to live in the same place we were brought up and where our family has lived for many generations. We can choose where to live.
Our choices can be based on a number of different things such as taste, desire, convenience, peer-pressure, faith, ethics and a variety of other things. We make so many decisions in just one day that we don't necessarily think them over, deciding has become second nature. Our decisions are usually based around what suits us. Our lives can be shaped to what we want, need or prefer. We live in a consumer society where buisness and activities compete to be the best and mostconvenient for their user group.
We are used to everything fitting us or being free to choose not to be part of it. What about living as a disciple of Jesus. This is where things can get more difficult or complicated because being a disciple of someoen means copying and behaaving like the master. It is easy to choose to copy and be like Jesus when it is convenient to us but what do we do when it is inconvenient or difficult? Jesus calls us to look after the poor, weak and vulnerable. How seriously do we take that? Does it for exaample impact our everyday choices such as buying fairtrade products as opposed to cheaper or easily accessible ones? Does it affect the way we make our everyday decisions?
Following Jesus as one of his disciples means that we have to lay down our lives in surrender to him. We sing about it in worship, we pray "your will be done" in the Lord's prayer but are we active in bringing it about. One-size-fits-all is not in fashon at the moment society offers us mmade-to-measure lives. Following Jesus means basing our decisions and choices on our Lord and his view of what it means to follow him in the little things of life as well as the big ones.
I have this week been involved in a discussion group with some Christians I don't know well. The conversation was based around churches and where we find what we want in a church. Where the service times suit our personal timetable, where the style is to our taste, where the music is the type we like, where there are other people like ourselves. Basically it was all about what I want and need. The made to measure society has made it into church. I don't want to attend that one if it isn't a perfect fit for me. I sat and listened for a while and then in a lul asked for permission to throw a granade in. I asked where the sense of calling was. What about asking God where He intends us to attend? Where does God want us to use the gifts and talents he has Given us? Where does he want is to give of ourselves to build His kingdom? In essence "Where do you want me to serve you?"
I turned the discussion on its head because I believe that when we give our lives to Him we give Him everything and allow Him to guide us and use us as He sees fit. The question changes from "Where do I get my needs met and feel comfortable?" to "Where do you want me Lord and how would you like me to serve you?" That is radical discipleship and can be costly but is ultimately worth it. As a disciple of Jesus we have chosen to follow him wherever he leads us and we mustn't forget to ask him where, what, when and how as we make our little and big decisions in life.
Being a disciple means following the Master. Are we willing to follow where he leads and not count the cost? I cannot promise from my experience that it will lead to an easy life, riches, friends or the good life. What I have however learnt is that following Him is never dull, never boring or predictable and he really does keep his word when he says he will never leave us or forsake us.
I finish with the words of a popular song:
| I want to walk with Jesus Christ All the days I live of this life on earth To give to Him complete control Of body and of soul Chorus Follow Him, follow Him, yield your life to Him He has conquered death, He is King of kings Accept the joy which He gives to those Who yield their lives to Him I want to learn to speak to Him To pray to Him, confess my sin To open my life and let Him in For joy will then be mine I want to learn to speak of Him My life must show that He lives in me My deeds, my thoughts, my words must speak All of His love for me I want to learn to read His word For this is how I know the way To live my life as pleases Him In holiness and joy O Holy Spirit of the Lord Enter now into this heart of mine Take full control of my selfish will And make me wholly Thine |
torsdag 10. mai 2012
When does life begin?
Over the past few days the news has been full of the fact that in a number of late abortion cases babies have been aborted at over 22 weeks gestation and left to die wrapped in a blanket in a room on their own, it can take an hour and a half or more before their heart stops beating. At the same time and probably in the same hospital babies of about 23 week’s gestation have a surprisingly high survival rate. Paediatricians and midwives fight to save their lives.
I have no intention of getting involved in a debate about abortion. What I am however surprised about is that people have not known that an aborted baby is not always born dead. Even those born within the limits of the normal permitted parameters for abortion ie not late abortions, can live for some time after the procedure.
Do we dare make a decision for ourselves on what we think about abortion. We are well educated but do we find the facts for ourselves and make our personal decisions based on factual, ethical, emotional and religious views or do we follow the status quo, bury our heads in the sand or hope we don't have to engage with it personally?
To quote John Cleese "I don't believe it!"
What does it mean to love others as God loves them. We are in Norway a Christian country but we cannot manage to love. Why not? Perhaps it is because we are afraid to get involved, afraid to empathise with someone in a difficult situation because that would make us vulnerable to their pain, hurt and fear. Is it that we are afraid and so we hide from potential sources of pain?
I have a friend in Kristiansand who is good at keeping me up to date with absurd assylum cases here in Norway. There is sadly no shortage of them. This one however really does cause me to be "heated" when I think about it. So much so that I wrote to the newspaper and asked a journalist if she could highlight this story as it is heartbreaking.
A woman came to europe as a refugee, arriving first in Italy then coming further up and into Norway. While her application for assylum was being considered she gave birth to a baby. The application of assylum has been allowed as she has a real need for protection but she has been told that she cannot stay in Norway as the first place in Europe which she came to is where she has to be. That means she has to return to Italy. Ok so far? If thet is the rule then all would seem well? The problem is that the baby was born here in Norway and cannot return to Italy as a refugee as it has never been there. This mother has been told by the Norwegian authorities that she will be forceably returned to Italy but her five month old baby will have to stay here. There is an application procedure and system for reuniting families so all should not be black. The problem is that the average time taken for such a case to be decided is 4 years! Immigration have said she has one more week with her baby and then they will deport her!
I assume that there is an official in an office somewhere who has made a decision based on the rules and guidelines but really... it makes me VERY hot under the collar that things like this can happen. Not only that but this week too when an international report has said Norway is the best place in the world for mothers and babies. Well it is not for this mother and baby!
What might happen if we could and would put ourselves in someone else's shoes? Are we willing to empathise? Might that lead us into action? What if it was you? What if it was me? How aweful must someones life be and how rich and comfortable must I be before I am willing to do something about injustice and the treatment of the weak, poor and vulnerable around me?
For more information see (in Norwegian with translation click button):
http://www.facebook.com/#!/tolvtejanuar/posts/167506610044038
I have a friend in Kristiansand who is good at keeping me up to date with absurd assylum cases here in Norway. There is sadly no shortage of them. This one however really does cause me to be "heated" when I think about it. So much so that I wrote to the newspaper and asked a journalist if she could highlight this story as it is heartbreaking.
A woman came to europe as a refugee, arriving first in Italy then coming further up and into Norway. While her application for assylum was being considered she gave birth to a baby. The application of assylum has been allowed as she has a real need for protection but she has been told that she cannot stay in Norway as the first place in Europe which she came to is where she has to be. That means she has to return to Italy. Ok so far? If thet is the rule then all would seem well? The problem is that the baby was born here in Norway and cannot return to Italy as a refugee as it has never been there. This mother has been told by the Norwegian authorities that she will be forceably returned to Italy but her five month old baby will have to stay here. There is an application procedure and system for reuniting families so all should not be black. The problem is that the average time taken for such a case to be decided is 4 years! Immigration have said she has one more week with her baby and then they will deport her!
I assume that there is an official in an office somewhere who has made a decision based on the rules and guidelines but really... it makes me VERY hot under the collar that things like this can happen. Not only that but this week too when an international report has said Norway is the best place in the world for mothers and babies. Well it is not for this mother and baby!
What might happen if we could and would put ourselves in someone else's shoes? Are we willing to empathise? Might that lead us into action? What if it was you? What if it was me? How aweful must someones life be and how rich and comfortable must I be before I am willing to do something about injustice and the treatment of the weak, poor and vulnerable around me?
For more information see (in Norwegian with translation click button):
http://www.facebook.com/#!/tolvtejanuar/posts/167506610044038
mandag 7. mai 2012
Up in court
I am up in court on Wednesday.Before you jump to the wrong conclusion, no, I have not done anything wrong. I am to be a witness in a case of theft. This set me on a train of thought about witnesses which naturally led to thinking about our faith.
There are some people who are called and equipped by God to be missionaries and evangelists. This is not everyone. We are all different with a variety of callings and gifts. "What has this to do with witnesses?" you may ask. Everything, I would say; it is very easy to hide behind the fact that we are not all evangelists and thereby excuse ourselves from any sort of outreach with non-believers.
In the bible Jesus calls us all to be witnesses. There is a huge difference between an evangelist and a witness but the end result can sometimes be the same. Just like in court, a witness is called to tell of what they have seen, heard and experienced. As Christians we too are called to be witnesses to what we have seen, heard and witnessed of the living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in our lives. Doing it is not easy to begin with, but we can remember that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us and if God is for us who can be against us? As with any spiritual discipline it needs practice for us to be relaxed and secure in doing it and the only way to practice something is ... to practice it!
There are some people who are called and equipped by God to be missionaries and evangelists. This is not everyone. We are all different with a variety of callings and gifts. "What has this to do with witnesses?" you may ask. Everything, I would say; it is very easy to hide behind the fact that we are not all evangelists and thereby excuse ourselves from any sort of outreach with non-believers.
In the bible Jesus calls us all to be witnesses. There is a huge difference between an evangelist and a witness but the end result can sometimes be the same. Just like in court, a witness is called to tell of what they have seen, heard and experienced. As Christians we too are called to be witnesses to what we have seen, heard and witnessed of the living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in our lives. Doing it is not easy to begin with, but we can remember that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us and if God is for us who can be against us? As with any spiritual discipline it needs practice for us to be relaxed and secure in doing it and the only way to practice something is ... to practice it!
lørdag 5. mai 2012
Who would you like me to bless today?
A friend of mine during the pastor's prayer meeting yesterday said he had been reading a biography of Mother Teresa. It seems that she lived without worrying about tomorrow, only with thoughts of today. She would start the day by asking the Lord "Who would you like me to bless today?" I try to live that way but fail so very often. Yesterday was for me a day when the Lord sent some unexpected people and surprises my way. Maybe because of that and the conversation at the prayer meeting that morning it was easier to not be selfish but to thank the Lord for the opportunity to help someone along on the journey of life.
Christians are called to give selflessly and I suspect we would all say that we try to do that. Sometimes it is a pleasure and a joy but at other times it is frustrating and even irritating especially if it takes time or energy we had wanted to use on other things.
If we are going to be followers of Jesus, his disciples, then we need to copy Him so his reflection shows through us in our lives even when we are tired or it is inconvenient! "I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do." Romans 7. 18-19.
Paul seems to have had the same trouble as me which is somewhat reassuring.
Christians are called to give selflessly and I suspect we would all say that we try to do that. Sometimes it is a pleasure and a joy but at other times it is frustrating and even irritating especially if it takes time or energy we had wanted to use on other things.
If we are going to be followers of Jesus, his disciples, then we need to copy Him so his reflection shows through us in our lives even when we are tired or it is inconvenient! "I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do." Romans 7. 18-19.
Paul seems to have had the same trouble as me which is somewhat reassuring.
onsdag 2. mai 2012
I will praise the Lord!
It says in the bible that we are to praise God without ceasing. That in some ways can be a bit difficult depending on what you include in "praise". We can praise God in all that we say and all that we do. In fact it can become such a natural part of our lives that we don't always think over it. We can live our lives to God's praise and glory.
It is however not always easy to consciously praise God all day long. Our time and energies have to be spent on other things some of the time. The underlying life of praise can always be there though. I love to worship God by singing hymns and songs. He has not blessed me with a good singing voice but I deccided long ago, He gave me my voice so he must think it is worth listening to so I sing praise to him anyway.
I noticed years ago that when I take time to praise God and lift my voice to Him with words and songs of praise, my spirits get lifted. An hour of praise and worship and I am no longer feeling sorry for myself or fed up. The days when I really need to praise God are the days when it is hardest to start praising Him and those are of course the days I need to praise Him most!
When I pray I find it easiest to come close to God if I begin with praise. A good worship cd can make all the difference to me. I know a number of people with the gift of intercession and they all say that they begin praying with a time of thanksgiving and worship and then move on to prayer in the traditional sense.
There is something important here I think. When we worship God he gives us his peace and his joy as a gift. From the earliest times praise and worship have been key. When we look at Jesus and his encounters with people there is always an element of thanks and praise. We are called to it by our heavenly Father. If you have not tried to praise yourself into a better place / mood / situation then try it. You will be surprised what God will do when we move our focus from ourselves and on to him!
It is however not always easy to consciously praise God all day long. Our time and energies have to be spent on other things some of the time. The underlying life of praise can always be there though. I love to worship God by singing hymns and songs. He has not blessed me with a good singing voice but I deccided long ago, He gave me my voice so he must think it is worth listening to so I sing praise to him anyway.
I noticed years ago that when I take time to praise God and lift my voice to Him with words and songs of praise, my spirits get lifted. An hour of praise and worship and I am no longer feeling sorry for myself or fed up. The days when I really need to praise God are the days when it is hardest to start praising Him and those are of course the days I need to praise Him most!
When I pray I find it easiest to come close to God if I begin with praise. A good worship cd can make all the difference to me. I know a number of people with the gift of intercession and they all say that they begin praying with a time of thanksgiving and worship and then move on to prayer in the traditional sense.
There is something important here I think. When we worship God he gives us his peace and his joy as a gift. From the earliest times praise and worship have been key. When we look at Jesus and his encounters with people there is always an element of thanks and praise. We are called to it by our heavenly Father. If you have not tried to praise yourself into a better place / mood / situation then try it. You will be surprised what God will do when we move our focus from ourselves and on to him!
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