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The Credit Crunch has brought misery to many people both to the large and small investor alike. We are living in difficult times with the cost of everything rising sharply particularly fuel and food. I’m not an economist but you don’t have to be to realise that the relentless upward movement of house prices was unsustainable – much of it fuelled by greed. It seems that today everyone wants to be a property developer buying a house, not to live in as a home, but as a means of making money. And once it began more and more people jumped on the band-wagon to get their slice of the action. But as with most things what went up had to come down. For once demand slumps and no-one wants (or can afford) what you have, the price will fall bringing bankruptcy and repossession in its wake. Yet those most to be pitied are not the large institutions paying inflated salaries to their top people, or those who kicked off the sub-prime mortgage scandal in the first place, but the first-time buyer mortgaged up to the hilt and struggling to pay for a house that is now probably in negative equity. It is these people, and the recently unemployed, who are paying the price for the folly and greed of others. And this is happening right across the western world and it’s not a pretty sight. It reminds me of the cartoon character who runs off the edge of a cliff and continues running until he realises there is nothing beneath his feet holding him up. Eventually the penny drops and so does he with a great crash! So too in a society obsessed with money when the crash comes people get hurt. Yet those in the media who comment on these things talk as if the slump has arrived from outer space with no apparent cause! But what we can be sure of is that we will all have to tighten our belts. So what can we do? Don’t panic! God knows what we need, maybe we would like more, but he will provide what we need. So, if you’re housebound, retired or spend a lot of time at home during the winter months why not visit a friend and share the heating costs between you – or make it a threesome and split it three ways? My bike is spending a lot more time on the road these days while the car sits at home with nothing to do. Yet it seems that despite ever rising fuel costs there are just as many cars on the road now as there were before. But are all these car journeys really necessary? Somehow I can’t think that they are. And if we all used our cars less the demand for fuel would fall and so, eventually, would the price! We need to think outside the box and be creative in how we meet the challenges of the day. Jesus said that the lilies of the valley have needs just as we do. Yet come rain or shine, drought and flood those needs are always met – no worries! So, as the Credit Crunch bites remember this that when the going gets tough the tough get God in! Keep warm and stay happy! ☺
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This will probably be my last letter for a while. With our new minister Christine shortly to take up her ministry in Brislington she will probably be writing this page for the foreseeable future. So to all our readers, both in Focus and on-line, blessings and peace
be upon you.
In Jesus’ name.
Derek Marsh August 2008
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