Chris Clegg

Hope comes in many forms.

We hope for better times! For many people in this world, these are trying times. Locally, we have our problems, but they pale in comparison to many other people in the world We should never forget and bless how truly lucky we are.

Inflation is hurting many people. Some families are hurting. Many will not enjoy Christmas as much as others as hard-earned money goes toward the necessities. Is it any wonder food banks are seeing increased usage?

Homeless people seem to be everywhere, much more so than years ago. How does such a rich society produce so many in need?

Many continue to shop out of town, hurting the very people who support their local organizations and activities. The day will come when there will be no local retail store so you can run downtown and get what you want. You can dispute the reasons why this has happened, but the bottom line is shoppers are deserting their local stores. Sooner or later, the day of reckoning will come whether it is lack of local stores or an increased tax bill from loss of assessment local business generates.

Why doesn’t anyone address the problem of online shopping vs local business? Local businesses open stores, pay taxes, and support your local community. When was the last time Amazon contributed to the local martial arts students, hockey team or agricultural society? Yet, shoppers continue to shop through Amazon but are the first to ask the very businesses they shunned for a donation.

Bigger tax bills from most governments! There is never enough money to satisfy our many levels of government and corporate company’s insatiable need for more money and/or bigger profits. It is never enough, despite high wages already being paid to government workers.

Odd how all governments claim they want to cut costs, yet budgets increase and so does tax. What in the world has gone so wrong?

Is there any need for this ridiculous inflation, only to later read the corporate giants are doing very well. Six-figure bonuses are paid out regularly to corporate executive and government employees (see the CBC) yet the need to help people continue to rise.

However, so many do so much to help. Thank goodness we have so many charities working hard to make Christmas a bit better for many people.

And there is hope. Just over 2,000 years ago the answer was provided to us in the gift from God. In addition to the gift of eternal life, Jesus gives us all hope for a better life on Earth. There is a better way to live. Be kind to one another and not be so greedy. Make no mistake, inflation is mostly driven by greed.

If we all took a lesson from Jesus, the tremendous wealth in this world would be spread amongst more people. You will not find the word inflation in the Bible, but you will find many words on kindness and sharing.

Jesus taught us to share, to be kind, to think of others. This Christmas, may we all stop and think for a minute and press the reset button. Jesus gives up hope in the way He lived and examples He set for us.

Just over 2,000 years ago, the answers were provided for us. All we have to do is listen.