Right Way Up?

The brilliant salvage engineers working on the stricken cruise liner, the Costa Concordia, have done it! The ship, so long stranded and ruined, is now at least the right way up, and ready for its trip to final destruction!

The Pope has been given a replacement car. It is a 20 year old Renault 4 with 190,000 miles on the clock. He will be driving himself around in this, as a clear statement that flash and wealth are dangerous idols. Too many people are idol worshippers, and their cars are one of their chief idols.

Maybe the Pope has shown which is the right way up.

The earliest Christians were ready to challenge the accepted values of their day. When arrested, as trouble makers, it was their values and behaviour which were highlighted. '“These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.' (Acts 17.6) 

Some may wonder whether following Jesus requires us to be turned upside down. The answer is that where our values are not in line with His way, He requires us to be ready to be changed - so that we are the right way up.

When Jesus called people to follow him, he called them to leave behind their old way of life, and to live life the right way up.

The fishermen did that, as did many others. But some refused Jesus challenge, such as the very rich young man. To make the point more clearly, Jesus concluded his comments to his disciples with these words. '“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.' (Mark 10.29-30)

These wonderful words remind us that being the right way up has both present blessings and future certainty. Lets make sure we are the right way up today.

Best wishes,

Richard