Chris Chamberlain is the National Leader of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand.
I’m irritated.
Last Sunday was Pentecost Sunday, when the Holy Spirit was sent to us – and also sent us. Now we all know that the coming of the Holy Spirit is about comfort and counsel, about being filled and taking action.
But I’m irritated. It’s a holy irritation.
Last Thursday this country’s Finance Minister “reached for the wrong metaphor” when she compared winning the lottery with living in a state/social house.
Was it a mistake to use that metaphor? Or was it her perception of the truth?
And why am I so irritated about it?
Lotto winners receive money, which often upends and unravels their lives. We all know that Lotto is highly questionable as a way of solving our problems. And the odds of winning are nearly impossible.
Social housing isn’t about money so much as it’s about dignity. People’s intrinsic dignity is being denied when it is suggested they are winning the lottery by being placed in social housing. It is clear that people in social housing are not living off their Lotto winnings.
In New Zealand, a more accurate description of winning the lottery would be that one of the 20,000 people currently in line for a social house would manage to ‘win’ a place to call home.
The Ministry of Social Development’s Housing Register showed this group grew by 2.1% over the last year. The odds are getting worse. Some lottery!
I’ve seen firsthand the results of social housing provision. Lives are upended, but in the best possible way. They are put back together. However, in New Zealand right now the odds of being placed in social housing are similar to those of winning Lotto.
So, what would be a more accurate metaphor for those who finally get into warm, dry and safe housing they can afford?
- a safety net? Leviticus 19:9-10 describes it as making sure there is always enough for those at the end of the line.
- a feast? Luke 14:13-14 describes it as a surprise invitation to a feast for those at the end of the line.
- kindness? (this one is risky, thanks to a previous Prime Minister daring to promote it, but I’ll include it because it’s so thoroughly Christian…) Proverbs19:17 describes it as lending to the Lord when we help those at the end of the line.
People who need social housing are made in the image of God. Actually, so too are politicians, and we do need to remember that!
My friend Elijah Brown (the Baptist World Alliance General Secretary) recently quoted this from 5th century Christian theologian Augustine:
“Be meek, sympathise with the suffering, bear the weak; and on this occasion of the concourse of so many strangers, and needy, and suffering people, let your hospitality and good works abound.”
Spirit of God, let me be irritated by that which irritates you.
Photo credit: pexels.com markus-winkler
