5th of Easter
April 2008
Paul was full of complaints. His children disliked him, he told his friend Peter. They upset him and weren’t much help. Nobody came to visit him any more: even Peter seemed to be elusive. His hip was killing him and the doctors were unsympathetic concerning his many ailments. His neighbours were ‘from hell’ and did this and that to annoy him. The Church was worse - full of hypocrites who acted and talked in a way that many decent atheists would never do. Even the milkman was up to no good as the milk went sour very quickly. As for the weather – he hadn’t seen a bit of sun in months.
He thought for a moment and then added. At least one good thing – that headache I had all this week seems to be gone.
No Paul. Peter replied. Your headache hasn’t gone. Now I’ve got it.
Christianity is an alternative to giving oneself and one another headaches.
Christianity is an alternative to ‘no way will I let him/her get away with that.’
Christianity is an alternative to sleepless nights spent nursing a bruised ego and planning revenge.
Christianity allows me to let others have their ‘little victories’ at my expense.
A Christian is a person who, because of the teaching and example of Jesus Christ, treats himself/herself , and everybody else, with the utmost respect and consideration.
Because of our self-interest and greed we keep giving one another headaches and getting headaches from each other.
What a nice place Corsham would be if instead of headaches, we dished out good will, affirmation and mutual support.
There is only one place to start and that is with myself.
If I started treating everyone I met with the consideration and respect, which I as a Christian know they deserve, then there would be fewer headaches around Corsham.