It is 0830. In about one hour the shops open, and the biggest retail day of the year starts. Boxing day was originally the day that food was given to the poor after the feast. But it is now the day that every big box takes 30% off, and people take the money and gift cards they got on Christmas day and use them.
Kiwis are not stupid. Better to buy at discount.
However, in the calendar, this day recalls the cost of incarnation, and that is martyrdom.. The passages today recall an old testament prophet who was killed by a king, and Stephen, who was killed by a Jerusalem mob. For the rulers can and will use both licit and illicit means to control messages.
17Now after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and did obeisance to the king; then the king listened to them. 18They abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and served the sacred poles and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. 19Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord; they testified against them, but they would not listen.
20Then the spirit of God took possession of Zechariah son of the priest Jehoiada; he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus says God: Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has also forsaken you.” 21But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the Lord. 22King Joash did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. As he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”
Acts 7:59-8:87:59While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
8:1When he had said this, he died. And Saul approved of their killing him.
That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. 2Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.
4Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word. 5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. 6The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, 7for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. 8So there was great joy in that city
What are we to do? Well, the first thing is that we should lose the delusion that our message will be recieved and we will get praised by many. We are much more likely to be ignored.
Secondly, we can forget the elite. They worship their ppwer.
Thirdly, we should continue to do good, with or without permission from authorities. We should remember that our security is not in laws or in regulations. (There was an arson in Auckland on Christmas day… and we do not have legal guns. Evil people will do evil with whatever weapons they have). The people in the city may be praising God for the good we have done.
Finally, our duty is tor remain faithful, and not listen to those advisors who will lead us astray. This is quite difficult in a constitutional monarchy (which functions as a republic): the Parliament or Congress can set evil rules and the president or queen has to assent to them (Note to the US: the queen cannot veto. She can dissolve parliament).
we should therefore pray for our queen and for all rulers, for they have a great duty here. But us, as the people, have a few more degrees of freedom, and we should use this to remain speaking the truth and doing good. Let the elite enslave themselves, We will remain free.