Christian Comment with Graham Collins, Holy Trinity, Stroud

‘Coming together’

AS WE approach the vote for Scotland to decide if it wants to stay part of the United Kingdom, it occurred to me that breakaways have often been part of our history.

Pakistan broke away from India in 1947 and a year later the State of Israel was created from Palestine. Interestingly, both of these involved the British and indeed we have only been Great Britain since a Scottish King, James VI became James I of England too.

It is said we humans are a tribal people and like to link with those like us and focus upon our own needs.

The trouble with this is that it discourages an outward-looking approach that enhances our understanding of the world and our contribution to it.

Jesus understood the power of a community; indeed he created his own intimate group, the twelve Disciples that followed him throughout his ministry.

This, however, did not become his focus but enabled him to reach out to the many people he encountered and educate his Disciples in the life he wished them to lead.

He was both fellow traveller and teacher and taught us that ‘the body of Christ’ involved all those that believed in him and his message of love and forgiveness.

We are often focused upon our own problems and I have heard people say why help those outsiders when we have our own needs.

This may become the view of the rest of Great Britain and particularly the English if the Scots vote for independence.

It is very easy to be inward looking but Jesus taught us to be generous and to look outside ourselves, for in giving we receive.

This is particularly true when giving to those that have little and only experience true love through the generosity of others.

None of us know until it happens if Scotland will vote for independence in the end but Scripture tells us in the first book of Genesis that God created us all and therefore we are all part of his family, whatever we do to try and partition it.