Live Simply - week 3

This week I focus on the part of the promise that says that I will live sustainably. A close friend of mine has already pointed out that this is the area I will have most difficulty bearing mind my various failings with recycling!

To deal with the why first. It stems I believe from the inter connectedness of all things. My actions or lack of action will have an effect on someone on the other side of the world. We had an example of this only this week on the news. When they told us that the price of maize has increased because of the USA's increased success at turning Maize into ethanol. This has a knock on effect of increasing the price of all sorts of products that use maize. Some of which I would never have thought of. So like it or not we are connected to the other side of the world. What we buy or don't buy and what we do and don't do has an effect. To discern what is the right action is the challenge that faces people of all faiths. To live sustainably means that we are living in obedience to the command to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. If you are looking for a loophole you might say "the people on the other side of the world are not my neighbour!" Jesus once answered the question "who is my neighbour" with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25). His words to the enquirer always reach my heart and remind me that if I am to live the gospel authentically I must have goodwill of all people in my mind and in my actions.

So in 2008 I will resolve to make more of an effort to have in mind how I use and share the world's resources. I will find out how to do this as well!