Thursday 1 October 2009

Maths is not what you would call my strongpoint. My maths teacher at school was a patient man, God bless him, but at times my lack of skill drove him close to the edge. My skills lay most definitely OUTside the maths classroom.

For that reason, I hesitate to question anyone else's adding up, but feel on this one I have to. The other day I took my car to the garage for a clean inside and out. The inside appeared to be carrying large quantities of the local soil, as well as dead leaves, shreds of paper, and all the other detritus that likes to find a home in a cosy footwell. This being the case reckoned that 2 lots of six minutes, rather than 1, on the vacuum cleaner would be necessary. I did the maths myself, multiplying the £1 for 6 minutes by two, and asking for "two pounds worth on the vacuum cleaner please" The assistant smiled a lovely smile, and replied that that would be "£1.96 please". What? Am I missing something here? Ok, so I was getting a few seconds' worth of cleaning power for nothing, but whatever was she talking about?

Frankly, no-one expects to get anything for nothing. All those advertising leaflets that offer free holidays in the sun or free vouchers worth £150 tend to get filed straight away in the recycling. No matter how brightly printed nor how glossy the paper, we just don't believe them.

That's one of biggest problems I have as a Minister in communicating the Christian message. Right at the heart of the Gospel is the belief that God gives the human race something for nothing in the person of Jesus. At great cost to him, and none to us, we receive forgiveness and life itself. It's hardly a fair trade-off, which is what makes it so hard for many to accept. "Life in all its fullness" is one huge offer in return for a little faith. It takes a big leap to believe that is actually what he meant, and to accept it.

Clutching my two vacuum cleaner codes in my hand, I proceeded to hoover out my filthy car. And do you know what? After 6 minutes the wretched thing was clean, leaving me with spare cleaning time. I offered it to the next person waiting, but they didn't want it as they had already bought their own. Something for nothing…and no-one would take it. Who'd have thought it? I'll just have to save it for another day.