Opinion Column
Are we storing up treasures on earth?
Rising prices affect us all, and Anna Heydon urges us to spare a thought for those who will be struggling with the cost of living this winter.
I’ve never particularly enjoyed supermarket shopping, but over these past few months that disinterest has sometimes turned to panic as my eyes scan the spiralling prices of basic food items. Can sliced bread really cost that much? How has the price of milk gone up so dramatically in the last week? Where will it all end?
I know I’m one of the fortunate ones. Those in my household are not having to miss meals. But for many people, visiting a supermarket was already triggering a sense of panic long before the current cost of living crisis. For those who were already stretching an insufficient budget to purchase everything their family needed, it’s hard to imagine the feelings and hardships they are experiencing now.
In these times when so many are feeling the pinch, it’s tempting to look inwards; to pull our money and resources around us and hold them tight like a protective robe, shielding us from the cold wind of discomfort and fear for the future. For those on the edge this is necessary and wise. But some of us need to be reminded of these words from the Bible: “if you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry” (Luke 3:11).
I’m struck by the fact that in this verse John doesn’t suggest keeping hold of a spare shirt just in case your first shirt gets a hole, and then if you still have a couple of spare shirts left over, you could give one away. Nor does he say that “if you have food and a good stockpile of tins stored up ‘just in case’” then you should give some away. He challenges us to give generously from whatever we have been blessed with.
As Christians we can do this because we know that whoever puts their faith in Jesus has an investment in the future which is far more secure than anything we could have on earth. “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal” said Jesus (Matthew 6:19-20).
As we come into the season of harvest the local foodbanks are already starting to feel the pressure of more people turning to them for help. If you, like me, have enough for now, maybe we could consider donating to help those who don’t.
This article first appeared on Network Yarmouth.
Photo by Viki Mohamad on Unsplash
Anna Heydon is Development Worker for Imagine Norfolk Together in Great Yarmouth, a joint venture between the Diocese of Norwich and the Church Urban Fund, a national organisation set up by the Church of England to combat unmet needs in communities.
Visit: Imagine Norfolk Together
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