Paid in Full

“Canada does not and will not pay ransom to terrorist, directly or indirectly.”  Those were the words of Prime Minister Trudeau after Canadian John Ridsdel was murdered in the Philippines this week.  Ridsdel was kidnapped in September and the Islamic terrorist group Abu Sayyaf demanded a ransom for his safe release, a ransom the Canadian Government refused to pay.  And while I sympathize with John Ridsdel’s family I agree with the stand of our PM.  If we start paying ransoms, then Canadians around the world will be placed in danger as Canada becomes seen as an ATM for cash strapped terror organizations.

The Bible tells us that every one of us has had a ransom paid for us.  Because of our sinful behaviour a price had to be paid and that price, a ransom so to speak, was paid by God himself.

Peter tells us in his first letter that it was not a ransom paid with gold or silver but paid with the blood of Jesus. And while I agree with the stand of our Government, I am thankful that God loved us so much that He made the ultimate sacrifice for us, even when we didn’t deserve it, and all we have to do is accept it.  Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

Legacy of Death

This month we’ve been talking about Legacy, what we leave behind, in memories and money.  Vladimir Lenin has left behind a legacy that he probably wasn’t intending to; an ongoing bill.

Ever since his death in 1924, Lenin’s body has been on display in Moscow.  It was recently revealed that the annual cost to keep Lenin’s embalmed body on display now exceeds a quarter of a million dollars.  The report also indicated that along with replacing the embalming fluid they’ve also had to replace “parts” with plastic and other material.  Parts?  So it’s not even all Lenin they have on display.
Thousands of people a day stand in line to see the tomb and body of the founder of their movement.

If you want you can visit the tombs of others who have founded movements.  Muhamad’s body is located in the city of Medina in Saudi Arabia, the tooth of Buddha can be found in Dalada Maligawa in Sri Lanka and the grave of Confucius, founder of Confucianism, is in his home town of Qufu, Shandong Province, China.

But our faith and hope is based on the fact that there is no tomb or embalmed body of Christ for Christians to visit, because as the angels said “He is not here, He is risen.” Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

Creating a Legacy

Last month we laid to rest one of Canada’s best loved and most respected politicians, or at least that is how it would appear.  

It was a little confusing.  If you had been asleep for the past 18 months, or perhaps a visitor from Mars, then the outpouring of praise at Rob Ford’s funeral might not have seemed strange as he was obviously a man who was loved and respected by all.  But if you had been awake for the past year and a half and living anywhere in Canada, then you probably didn’t recognize the man who was being described in the media last week. 

 In a rare display of honesty, Rosemary Westwood, wrote in the Metro, “One day you’re a national embarrassment and the next day you’re eulogized by a former premier as Canada’s mayor.”  Bizarre, but I guess it goes back to not speaking ill of the dead, but the media had no problem trashing him when he was alive.

So, will history remember Rob Ford as a drug addled buffoon or as a great politician and man of the people?  Hopefully they will remember him as both because they are both part of his legacy, a legacy he created by choices he made.  The important question though is: What choices are you making?  

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

Just Stop It!

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Litter bugs me!  I just can’t get my head around it.  What possesses people to just throw their trash on the ground?  This time of year seems to be the worst and Tim’s cups seem to be the greatest offenders. But that might just be my perception, after all, their spring cups are red and easier to spot.  Or maybe people get upset with having the opportunity to play again and out of frustration they just throw the offending cup out their car window.

I understand that in some countries they cane people who litter.  I wonder if that would take provincial or federal legislation to make that a law in Canada?

I don’t litter, but I assume that those that do think, “Well, it’s just one cup, or one can or one bag, what will it hurt?”  And if it was just one cup or can or bag, it probably wouldn’t hurt.  But if you do it once, you will do it again and the point isn’t that it’s not much, the point is that it’s wrong and irresponsible.

And, I suppose it’s the same with whatever small sins litter our Christian lives and the answer is simple in both cases: just stop doing it.  Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.