Mulled Vine

Spread the word!

I have just spent a week in India on business. Thankfully not Mumbai where the recent terror attacks took place, but Chennai (previously Madras).

If you’ve not been to India before then you will find it hard place to imagine. The stunning, romantic beauty of the Taj Mahal, the chaotic noisy driving, the filthy streets, the camels pulling haystacks the wrong way along the highway, the magnificent hotels, the modern sky scrapers, the abject poverty, the smell, the hope, the railway children, the smiles, the trafficking of women, the enthusiasm for business, and the genuine kindness.

Such a contrast to the orderly, and much colder West. There is something about prosperity and progress that ruins a people.

We bought a “new” car over the weekend and boy is it a beaut – a shiny, black Vauxhall Zafira without a single scratch on it. I was almost embarrassed to bring it home because its quite a step up from our old car that was more a collection of dirt and scratches than a vehicle.

So I wait with trepidation for the first scratch or dent, so much so that I’m tempted to make the first scratch myself so that the pain will be minimised!

I remember when my youngest was little we bought a brand new Renault Laguna, my first “decent” car. It was absolutely gorgeous, my pride and joy. One morning my daughter was doing chalk drawings on our drive with some of the stones lying around when she decided that Daddy would like a nice smiley face drawn on his new car. She had just completed the first circle when I happened to pass. I was furious and screamed at the poor little tot. I bow my head in shame when I think of it today.

This is the problem with owning things: they have a habit of taking over and skewing our priorities. When Jesus says “blessed are the poor” he certainly has a point. I’m not glamorising poverty, but there is a lot of scope in our lives for decluttering and downsizing and giving some of what we have to those who have nothing.

Sure we rationalise our purchases – we upgraded our car to save money because of the increasing servicing costs on our old car – but the truth is that we don’t need half the stuff we buy, and what’s worse is that it takes our focus away from what’s really important.

“Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD ?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. (Pr 30:7-9)

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Phil 4:12-13)

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Mt 6:31-33)

“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ‘
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ (Lk 12:18-20)

That about says it all, doesn’t it?