Christmas time

I have just been listening to the BBC World Service and heard the report of Jack Straw's recent comments in the UK about Christmas decorations. Apparently about 3/4 of UK businesses are not putting up Christmas decorations this year for fear of offending other faiths. Straw quite rightly said that this is "PCness" gone mad! What is it with this national embarrassment that we seem to have about the Christian faith?

I have been reflecting personally on some of the times that I avoid bringing up issues relating to my faith for fear of an awkward moment or a bit of embarrassment. Living in Titirangi I meet people with a lot of strange beliefs (there is quite a big community of spiritualists and hippies here). None of them are worried about sharing some of their beliefs or convictions. It doesn't enter their heads to be worried about what other people might think because they strongly believe in what they are talking about. I spend time with mums at playgroups who enthuse about the healing power of things like Raki, crystals or amber beads as being a surefire way to minimise teething pain, they often have open discussions about the zodiac.

In the supermarket the other day the lady in front of me was talking passionately to the woman in front of her who had a sore leg. The first lady was going on and on about drinking water and assured the other woman that her leg would be cured if she put salt crystals on her tongue and drank gallons of water a day. According to her there would be no obesity or diabetes in the world if only people drank enough water. Slightly strange, a bit wierd and niave we might think, but at least she cared enough about her neighbour to pass on something that she believed would bring healing.

How often do we Christians care enough to pass on the healing power of prayer? Or are we inhibited by fear of rejection or embarrassment? I know how I can answer those questions.

Meanwhile it would be a big day for us today. Ian is in discussions with IBM. They are making him a job offer for a strategy role. He meets them this afternoon to iron out the details. It all sounds very promising. Once that is sorted out we still plan to go away and will probably hit the road next week.