Germ warfare

You must have noticed how keen the advertisers are to have you worry about germs and bacteria. I'm not often on the side of advertisers, but in this case I can see their point.

After all, think of the other things we might be concerned about...

• World recession and the euro-crisis fills the headlines - which leads us to recognising that money is a particularly unreliable god
• Debt, the collapse of banks and the inequalities between the 'fat cats' and the rest of us - which challenges us to think about our personal spending and borrowing habits as well as to face our own greed
• The world running out of mineral and other vital natural resources, even drinkable water - which raises difficult questions about our own lifestyles
• The inequalities between the Western world and the under-developed nations - which touches on the existential guilt of those in the West for using much, much more than our fair share
• The rise of the BRIC nations (Brazil, India & China) and the decline of the West - which leaves us apprehensive about the future and challenges the basis of our security
• The rise in sexually transmitted infections and HIV - which belies the popular notion that sex is just for fun
• The breakdown of family life - which leaves us uprooted and blown about, feeling alone in a difficult world, trying to find some sort of connection
• And our place in eternity - which forces us to recognise our mortality and the choice of which God we serve.

It's no wonder we keep worrying about the germs instead.

And yet - if that is all we dare focus on - we miss out on the opportunity to find a God who is utterly reliable, knows all about justice and loving relationships, and can deal with our personal greed and insecurity and offer peace in the midst of a troubling world. And who then equips us to go and make a life-changing difference for others.

Alternatively, we can carry on worrying about the germs.