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<\/a>And it was terrible. Terrible for me this morning, stuck in a long queue, needing to get to the office for an important meeting. Terrible too, because when, almost an hour later, I passed the accident, there was a mangled wreck of a vehicle, three ambulances, and clearly lives damaged or destroyed.<\/p>\nMy concern had been simply being late to work \u2013 yet what about the person in that car who may never go to work again? I challenge my Christian attitude every time I listen to the travel news. Shouldn’t I be praying for those hurt? Why am I rejoicing that the problem is somewhere that doesn’t affect me?<\/p>\n
It is, I suppose, a natural reaction, but it’s one I’m uncomfortable with and feel I need to fight. I’ve equally seen it manifest itself in several other ways in the past few days.<\/p>\n
Yesterday I saw a big poster on the side of the motorway. “Britain has left the EU. Praise the Lord!” It was the ‘Praise the Lord’ that struck me in what is now called a post-Christian country. Even more so, because there are Christians and non-Christians on both sides of the debate who may be feeling hurt. Social media certainly seems to indicate or generate plenty of hurt \u2013 and many non-UK nationals are currently feeling vulnerable. True as it may be, is it time for me to jump on the Daniel 2 bandwagon with an ‘I told you so’ prophetic message, or to reach out the caring hand expressed by God in Leviticus 19:34, to love the foreigner just like you love your own people. This is not the time to gloat or to get angry \u2013 but rather a time to provide support and build bridges.<\/p>\n
The same love issue has hit me twice in recent months when colleagues I have worked with have handed in their resignations for ‘personal’ or ‘family’ reasons. The reaction is similar to switching on the traffic news. “I’m glad that’s not me,” followed by some gawking as we pass by the accident. The speculation and rumour mill starts, sometimes letters and emails are circulated, and by the end of it possibly a great number of people are hurt.<\/p>\n
Again I feel very unchristian in such a situation. Nosy human nature wants to know the deep reasons \u2013 but is it really any of my business? An individual, possibly a family, is hurting. Maybe even a wider community. Perhaps as Christians we need to react more in the context of the Christ who said he had come “…to proclaim good news to the poor… freedom for the prisoners… recovery of sight for the blind… to set the oppressed free.” [Luke 4:18 NIV]<\/p>\n
I sat patently in my car listening to the news \u2013 the consequences of Brexit, the collapse of the UK Labour party, possible nominations for a new Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party \u2013 when suddenly both a motorbike and a taxi came racing up the otherwise empty inside lane \u2013 shooting past the queuing traffic.<\/p>\n “What a nerve!” I thought. My anger felt righteous, and when I eventually got close to the police cordon I was secretly delighted to find that both the motorcyclist and the taxi driver had been stopped by the police and were being given a severe lecture.<\/p>\n “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.”<\/p>\n If I was on the receiving end of the traffic accident \u2013 or the police lecture, how would I want you to treat me? If I’m on the losing side of a political campaign, or even a church election, how would I want you to treat me? If, as in Galatians 6, I’ve been caught in a sin, how would I want you to treat me? How can we best ‘bear one another’s burdens’?<\/p>\n<\/a>I did feel a second bit of anger this morning, or at least annoyance. Due to the accident, all the motorway traffic needed to filter from four lanes down to just one. A significant distance before the accident drivers had managed to filter into two lanes \u2013 obeying the electronic signs on the overhead gantry.<\/p>\n<\/a>Perhaps I need to take to heart Paul’s message in Galatians chapter 6. The first ten verses wonderfully balance justice with compassion and mercy. The first two are particularly important.<\/p>\n