Sustainability – with Eric, Dorothy and Jerry

Friends whose politics is ‘green’ frequently refer to sustainability – relating to the environment and energy. They talk about pollution, natural resources, recycling, future generations…

We consider the sustainability of our life-style. Children and families are on holiday – we need financial sustainability – not spending beyond our means. We want emotional sustainability – so we don’t get too stressed and anxious. We want social sustainability – with well-educated families and communities living healthily, fairly and safely…

Yesterday on the radio we were reminded of the ‘Merry old land of Oz’ where:

We get up at twelve and start to work at one.
Take an hour for lunch and then at two we’re done.

There are wonderfully happy people in Oz – but Scarecrow needs a brain, Tin-man needs a heart, Lion needs courage for life to be sustainable… Dorothy has wonderful adventures in Oz, but for her life to be sustainable she has to return home to her ordinary life in Kansas.

It’s a hundred years since ‘Chariots of Fire’ athlete Eric Liddell competed in the 1924 Paris Olympics. A talented sportsman, Liddell played international rugby for Scotland, but chose to focus on athletics. Running for Britain, he won an Olympic bronze medal in the 200 yards (200m} and Olympic gold in the quarter of a mile (400m).

He was among the favourites to win his strongest event, the 100 yards (100m), but as the heats were on a Sunday he refused to run. Liddell’s consistent, sustainable life, of faith and courage meant that he wouldn’t run on his ‘Lord’s Day’.

…Reading Jeremiah’s words:

“My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
    the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
    broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Water’s a repeated Biblical metaphor. Unsustainability is a cracked old water container; whatever water it contains soon leaks away. Sustainability is finding a spring of living water…

…Musing on my social, spiritual, psychological water containers – potentially leaking, unsustainable… Jesus’ claim to be a sustainable spring of living water.