Berwick Thought for the Week: Don’t preach to me

I might be somewhere sitting on my own, or out with friends. Most times I have never met them before, but they will make their way towards me to ensure I know they don’t believe in God.

I have always held a principle that my faith is not to be forced on anyone; rather as Christians our faith should be acted out in our actions.

When someone though, like I say, seems desperate to let me know their views; I think it is the beginning to a much bigger story whether in that person or society.

If we are of faith or none, we tend to get caught up more with law of institutions. The church might not want the secular laws invading them and vice versa.

This is nothing new though; it was going in the synagogue at the time of Christ’s birth and in the places outside the synagogue. What Christ’s birth brought though was a freedom from being too uptight about everything.

He came into the world with only a few people knowing he was there. He didn’t come into the world to simply inform of his position or stance from the off. He was a baby, he grew up, he learnt a trade, he taught.

People went to God in the form of human flesh. So rather than get worked up by others’ views, how do we embrace all?

Christmas shows that as Christians we are a law of love, not lovers of laws. Every encounter we have has been brought to us by God.

The initial sentence may just be to get the conversation going.

Rev Thomas Sample

Curate, Holy Trinity with St Mary’s Berwick-upon-Tweed