Pluck of the Irish

I read a story this week that warmed my heart, although it didn’t get off to a great start when a couple of Austrian fans visiting Dublin for their World Cup qualifier on March 26 were mugged the night before the game.

They were unceremoniously stripped of their wallets – which were lined with Euros and their precious match tickets – and sent on their way.

However, when the news of this injustice spread on social media sites Facebook and Twitter, a number of Ireland fans stepped in. Fan forum You Boys in Green (YBIG) started a collection for the two lads and the response was overwhelming.

The Austrians were issued replacement tickets by the FA and a special collection was taken up on their behalf before kick-off! In fact, so much money was promised, the two fans said they would give anything they received over and above what they had lost to Irish charities!

Of course, the recompense wouldn’t have been complete without taking the two Austrians for a knees-up the night before the game. I’m pretty sure they were treated to a Guinness or two by the local lads as they hit the town.

So well done to all the Ireland fans who helped out… But why am I telling you all this?

Well, because I think it’s really important to show kindness to people, especially those who have been mistreated. A lot of people would have felt sorry for the Austrian guys but wouldn’t have actually done anything about it.

                                          

There are so many people in the world who need help. Maybe your neighbour is suffering from depression and would appreciate a chat, or someone at work is moving house and needs someone to pack a few boxes for them. Easter is a great time to reflect on these things.

Perhaps your heart goes out to the homeless or victims of sex trafficking but you don’t know how to channel that concern into positive action. Sometimes a smile or a hug will do, but on other occasions you might need to put your hand in your pocket, or be prepared to invest time in a project that matches your cause.

Of course, the most important thing you can do this Easter – and, in fact, at any time of year – is to tell people about Jesus Christ. It’s important that we remember over the next few days that Jesus died to take away our sin, but let’s not keep this good news to ourselves.

The kindest thing we can do for any other human being is to assure them that God loves them deeply and has made away for us all to enjoy eternal life with Him if we simply accept Jesus’ great sacrifice for ourselves.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Happy Easter from all of us at Sorted magazine.

Seriously though, what is Christmas coming to?

On Saturday night I went for Christmas dinner with my boyfriend and another couple. After some tasty turkey-related treats we headed into town for a few drinks. The other couple were still wearing their Christmas cracker hats at this point and were refused entry to a bar until they agreed to remove them. Bah, humbug!

In a similar vein, Jeremy Paxman has caused something of a furore for refusing to have a Christmas tree and decorations in the Newsnight studio. A tree is prominently displayed on the BBC Breakfast set, which Newsnight shares, but by the evening it is promptly removed. As a result, Paxman has reportedly been nicknamed ‘Scrooge’ by other BBC staff.

This reminds me of an office I worked in five years or so ago. Managed by a lay preacher, all Christmas decorations were banned from the reception area in case they offended clients of other faiths. We weren’t even allowed to put Christmas cards on our desks. Wise up!

These stories represent the absurdity of modern culture to me. We have become so “respectful” of other people’s traditions that we are having to lay down our own. Ok, so Christmas isn’t about trees or decorations, but they certainly make the festive season more fun.

I have lots of Muslim friends and all of them love Christmas. Many have a traditional Christmas dinner (minus the pigs in blankets) and embrace plenty of other Christmas traditions. Sheikh Ibrahim Mogra of the Muslim Council of Britain points out that Muslims “believe in the Bible” and “believe in the teachings of Jesus”. So who are we really showing “respect” to by banning the mention and celebration of Christmas?

Meanwhile, it seems decorations aren’t the only Christmas controversies making the news this year. Police were called to a hotel near Hartlepool last weekend after reports of a disturbance at a Christmas party held for plainclothes police officers! Although the complaints were never substantiated, three police cars and a dog unit were sent to the scene. Talk about the heavy hand of the law.

On a lighter note, a stolen snowman ornament in Victoria, Australia, has become something of a local hero, according to the Herald Sun. The family received emailed photographs of Frosty with a gun and a blowtorch pointed at him. A ransom note telling them to "Meet our demands or the snowman gets it”, was also sent. But the burglars seem to have fallen for the dainty decoration, taking him for a spin on a motorbike and even for a game of pool at the local pub.

I’m not advocating theft, but let’s keep the fun in Christmas. Let’s remember to give generously, to try not to throttle our families and to have plenty of laughs this year. And let’s not forget the real reason we celebrate Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ, the saviour of the world. We’re not celebrating “winterval”, it’s CHRISTmas!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from everyone at Sorted magazine xxx