What would you do with $26 million dollars to improve lives?
Build more affordable homes? Invest in
job creating opportunities? Would you
use that money to help our neighbours in devastated Vanuatu or Nepal?
Or would you hold a referendum on changing New Zealand’s
flag? Maybe when you are a politician
overseeing a multi-billion dollar budget, such a cost seems insignificant. But $26
million is significant to children and elderly who would benefit from warmer
homes, or to the completely homeless in Vanuatu.
I am personally ambivalent to a change, as I imagine are
many New Zealanders, but it seems to be an unnecessary cost and distraction
when there are greater issues to address.
Proponents for change argue that a new flag would improve
pride in our country and our visibility on the economic stage. But what really can a piece of cloth do to
help our national prosperity or happiness?
If our identity is placed on
external things, even in our private lives – cars, clothes, homes – we will
never be truly fulfilled. Trying to
stir up a greater sense of identity and pride through a change of flag will
never come close to what we need as a nation.
We need forgiveness, unity and peace.
We need love, joy, patience, faithfulness, self control all of which the
bible says are the “fruit” of a relationship with God (Galatians 5:22), and
which lead to better home and work environments and therefore to a healthier
more prosperous country. We could then be truly proud of our country
and as Israel’s King David said “May we shout for joy over [God’s] victory. May we lift up our flags in the name of our
God” Psalm 20:5.
Larisa Hockey –
Mangapapa Church.
Larisa is a homeschooling,wannabe farmer enjoying God's creation and gift of family on a rugged little bit of Gisborne hill country. A proud New Zealander she believes that God has great plans for our country, if only we will turn back to Him as a nation.
