Richard Littledale's
Views on the News: August 2009

Walk this way

In place of our usual comments on the news, Views has decided to offer you instead Twenty Handy Hints for the summer holidays:

  1. Do not visit public places in case of swine flu infection.
  2. Do not stay at home in case of loneliness.
  3. Do not holiday abroad - the pound is weak.
  4. Do not holiday at home (see #1).
  5. Do not eat supermarket food - it may have been irradiated or tampered with.
  6. Do not eat home-grown food - the soil may be polluted.
  7. Do not eat ready meals - they lack nutrients.
  8. Do not chop fresh ingredients - you may lose fingers.
  9. Do not spend too much - you need to save.
10. Do not save too much - the country needs you to spend.
11. Do not use your cars to travel - beware carbon emissions.
12. Do not use public transport (see #1).
13. Do not panic too much - we need you to stay calm.
14. Do not be too calm - we need you to panic (just a little).
15. Do not be overwhelmed by the news - much of it is opinion.
16. Do not be taken in by opinions - what you need is the news.
17. Do not worry about UK Troops in Afghanistan - they are pulling out.
18. Do not worry about Afghanistan - troop commitment from the UK is firm.
19. Do not worry about climate change - its all in hand.
20. Do not worry about energy consumption - the answer is blowing in the wind.

Confused? You should be! At times like this, beset by problems at home and abroad, it must be hard for the Government to give advice which is either consistent or consistently useful. There will always be some eagle-eyed critic who spots the gap between this piece of advice and that, or between this statement and that. In the end, though, those who are capable of spotting the inconsistencies are probably just as capable of being responsible for their own well-being.

As a renowned repository of faith, insight and wisdom, the Bible is strangely silent on specific advice for specific situations. There is some, of course, on marriage and money for instance. In the main, though, the Bible deals more in principles than proscriptive advice. It advocates respect for our bodies, responsibility towards our planet, love towards our neighbour and honour towards our creator…and leaves us to work the details out for ourselves.

Whether your path in August takes you away on holiday or elsewhere, try walking this way:

'Act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God' (Micah 6:8)