What Price?

What price should we expect to pay for good work?
Many will be relieved that Stephen Hester has decided not to take his annual bonus of nearly £1million. Their reasons may vary, and there will be much debate as to his reasons for this welcome decision too.
It makes me ask 'what price for a fair day's work?'
But what price should be paid for a good police force? Teresa May will make a statement  today about many issues relating to the Police, including issues of pay and expenses.
But there is another story in today's news, about what price the police charge for assorted services. It may be one thing to charge HM Government for protecting the Houses of Parliament, but it seems quite another to offer to large organisations, such as Virgin Media, the possibility of investigating crimes more diligently, if they are paid! It reminds me of the t-shirt slogan, from the States, in the wake of yet another policing scandal, 'LAPD - the best that money can buy'.
What price should be paid for good work and what rewards should people expect from their work?
Jesus addressed this sort of issue, which relates to our culture and our expectations as to what is right.
'Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10.43-45)
His radical call to his followers cuts right across our greed-driven culture's desire for ever-increasing rewards and lifestyle options. If the credit crunch has had any message, it is surely that we have all been living beyond our means. More of the same is not the answer. Living more simply, and following Jesus more closely is the price we should be paying.
Do you agree? Why not comment on the blog?
Best wishes,
Richard