Reflections

The ‘I’m All Right Jack’ Mentality

Woe to those who are rich.” “Woe to those with plenty to eat.” “Woe to those who laugh.” “Woe to those who are honoured.” Does Jesus mean that heaven is denied us if we pick up a well earned pay packet at the end of the month, stock the freezer and put on a cheerful face?

Few of us consider ourselves really well off, but there is a danger that when we are finally making ends meet we can become seriously complacent. There is a real danger that when we are sitting down to our Spaghetti Bolognese and bottle of Italian red, that the images of world disasters flashing across our TV screens do not really touch us for more than fleeting moments. We have struggled through a hard day at work, paid the bills, fed the family and got the children to bed. The last thing we want is breaking news of famine or earthquakes to make us feel uncomfortable.

“Blessed are those who are poor. Blessed are those who are hungry. Blessed are those who weep.” Jesus is always on the side of those who are poor and badly done to, but is that a prescription for being poor and hungry in a bid to win Jesus’ favour? Jesus is clearly  not about keeping people in poverty, so what exactly does he mean?

In God’s kingdom our earthly values are turned upside down. We count wealth, good health and success as blessings, which of course they are, but they stop being blessings and become hindrances instead when we bury our heads in the sand and fail to see or do anything about a world that suffers widespread starvation and war. The blessings in our lives can only bring true happiness once we are able to shed our “I’m all right Jack” mentality and do something about the “woes” in other people’s lives.