Focussing on People

People versus money

How did Scrooge change after his night with the ghosts? I would argue that it was his focus that changed. On Christmas eve and in previous years Scrooge had defined his life primarily in terms of money. As a result he devalued people and his relationship with the rest of humanity was broken.

Scrooge was not an evil man but he picked up the wrong messages and lost his focus. Fortunately all was not lost. It was just necessary for him to remember those events he had experienced which were life giving and for someone to point out the harsh reality of some peoples lives.

It seems to me that we live in a world where most of the people in power seem to have adopted the attitude of Scrooge before his 'conversion'. Our leaders seem only to measure their success in terms of financial indicators. I hope that they too can be converted to see that it is people that matter and that focussing on money ultimately only leads to misery.

We live in a world that has changed enormously over the past couple of hundred year, the rate of change has accelerated over the past 20 – 30 years and continues to accelerate.

Industrialisation enabled mankind to produce all sorts of items with a small fraction of the labour. The computer has enabled many administrative jobs to be done quicker and the opportunity to carry out analyses too complicated without it. Communication by way of TV and the Internet has enabled most people in our world to be able to know what is happening in other communities worldwide. We can travel to most parts of the world within hours.

It is a different world – there is no need for most people to be involved in growing food or being personally involved in making products or obtaining raw materials. We have the increased ability to treat most diseases and save the lives of those involved in traumatic accidents.

The opportunities are tremendous, so when we look around do we see a wonderful stress free world where most people are very happy? Could the problem be that some of the wonderful technical advances over the years have been used to give the wrong message. Maybe it is time to make the voices of the Christmas Spirits heard!

There is still time for conversion. Remember the ghosts of the Christmas Carol only took a single night to change Scrooge and make him a happy man.

With love and Prayers

Chris 

P.S.You might like to think about which photo you find most life-giving.

Time for Renewal

Time for Renewal

Within all of us is a holy place. A place where God resides. During the period before Christmas – Advent – when Christians prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ, I took the opportunity to spend 8 days on retreat.

A retreat is an opportunity to take oneself away from the general busyness of life, to reflect and to become reacquainted with the God within us. To help with this objective my retreat involved silence in addition to turning off mobile phones and not accessing internet, or even the television or radio for the duration of the retreat.

For the past year my blog has stalled because I found it difficult to put forward a positive message. I hope that this year I will be able to access the Good (God) in me to bring out the good in others.

The passing of Nelson Mandela highlighted some aspects which demonstrated the difference that is made when the God centre is harnessed. It is not humanly natural to treat your aggressors with respect and without bitterness. Mandela managed to do this and I am sure that the outcome is much better than would have resulted from the the more normal revengeful response. His was a tremendous role model – the world will be a much better place if others follow his example.

In recent years I have put fairy lights on an Acer tree outside my front door – increasing the lights as we approach Christmas. It is a small act which reminds me and others of this special time and it has become significant for me. One morning when on retreat I went into a meadow within the grounds and was amazed by what looked like thousands of small fairy lights attached to the plants throughout the large field. On close inspection small balls of rain or dew had formed and frozen on the plants. These where then lit by and sparkled with the early morning sunlight. It reminded me just how weak we are compared with God's power. It also reminded me just how wonderful is our world and how important that we take good care of it.

So why the real spirit of Christmas?

Who was Scrooge? Was he a miserable miser who was only interested in money, who wouldn't help the vulnerable and poorest, who put status above relationships and was generally disliked - or was he a wonderful benefactor who looked after his employees and their families who donated generously to charitable causes, cared about the plight of those in need and was loved by all?

Which Scrooge I you recognise in myself? Which would I like to be? Which one brings me life?

I am hoping to consult my God centre a bit more from now on and hopefully will smile rather more – like the reformed Scrooge. I believe that if you join me we can make this world a better place.

With blessings for the New Year,

Chris