Swap shop

I usually find lent a bit of a struggle. So much so, that usually by the end of week 1 my targets have slipped a few notches down the ladder of good intentions.

So in the last couple of years I’ve tended to set my expectations to zero. It’s fail-proof and guilt-free.

If you’ve visited a supermarket this week, you’ve probably noticed those funky black posters displaying evidence that it’s Fairtrade Fortnight. From 22^nd Feb – 7^th March, the Fairtrade Foundation is encouraging shoppers to pick up a packet of FT coffee and leave their regular brand on the shelf. FT products have literally multiplied since they first started out (in the UK) in the early 1990s. Oj, T-shirts, fruit, flowers, wine are now in pretty good supply. I have to agree that I think switching to FT whenever we can is something that positively conveys a change of consumer taste. So when you buy FT, make sure you use your loyalty card because it helps supermarkets know what you’re interested in. And I think our consumer choice plays an increasingly important part in shaping the decisions that supermarkets make.

And so, back to Lent... which I've not spent a lot of time thinking about, admittedly. But I do think that it's good to do something which makes room for others and gives the chance to see God’s mercy, and experience his grace and a maybe even a wee bit of life transformation. And actually, there’s a challenge in Isaiah 58 that fasting should not just be something that leaves us unchanged, but it should actually engage our hearts and change our attitude to those around us.

Here's where it says a bit more about this: Isaiah 58: 5-7

So... yeah... God loves justice and he pursues that. I totally believe that he cares massively about people who are at the fringes of society. Those who suffer injustice, those who are left homeless after an earthquake hits, or washed out of their homes after a flood. And he cares that people get a fair price for their bananas, their rice, or whatever they've sowed and planted and harvested. So, if you haven't already made your swap to Fairtrade, you've got until 7th March to sign up to the Big Swap. Just swap one thing... Go on...