Gratitude

"If there are always biscuits in the time, then where is the treat in biscuits"

I have been pondering the topic of gratitude in our churches recently; that is, our affluent western churches, and specifically this middle-class bubble in the Home Counties where I work. This has been mainly from my selfish perspective of being a 'supplier' to a consumer society.

About three weeks ago a Bishop in another country (sorry, I can't remember where) was being interviewed on the radio about the poverty in his area and the work he was doing among the homeless. The interviewer spoke to him about the defined topic, and then asked him about his views on the debate within the Anglican Communion about the appointment of homosexual Bishops, and the argument about that.

His reply was in a tone that sounded quite frustrated that the media reporting really doesn't address the real issues of Christianity, preferring to focus on easy headlines. He said that his daily life was spent living out  "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." (Psalm 82:3-4) and that this was so far down Maslow's hierarchy of needs that he really didn't give much thought to issues that occupied Western media, and that we would all be better off when we focused our attention on the biblical imperative to 'do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God'.

I wanted to cheer.