The 26 March election in New South Wales would emphatically suggest that voters are looking for a new direction in the state government. The Coalition has been elected with a significant majority and the Labor government has suffered the greatest loss of seats in Australian politics.

As we look forward to a new government after sixteen years, there are a few things that I am thankful for that are common to all state governments in Australia:

  1. I am thankful that we have the freedom to worship. The government allows us to freely congregate for worship without free of oppression. Churches can purchase land and build places of worship. Churches can actively and openly participate in the local community.
  2. I am thankful for the peaceful transition of power. You only have to turn on the news to see examples of political violence around the world. Whatever you think about political corruption, have you ever thought how strange it is that we have transitions of power without violence? This is very rare in the history of the world.
  3. I am thankful that there are emergency services available in time of need. The government provides the police, ambulance, and fire services that support the community when there is trouble.
  4. I am thankful that the state government supports non-government schools. Non-government schooling includes hundreds of faith-based schools which are funded (in part) by the state government. Our choice for our children is reflected in our tax dollars.
  5. I am thankful that we can share faith in public schools. Scripture classes are a great opportunity to share the Christian faith and values without all the typical overhead of running a special program for kids. This is a powerful tool that is supported by the government.

What I’m trying to do in this post is to raise the conversation beyond the problems (which we can debate and articulate) to the blessings that we receive without a second thought. Freedom provides wonderful opportunities for the Gospel to flourish and grow. Let’s not take it for granted. Remember: to whom much is given much is required (Gospel of Luke).

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About Jeremy Kwok

Jeremy grew up in Sydney before moving to the United States for tertiary studies. Jeremy completed the BA, MA (History), and M.Div degrees before returning to Australia with his wife Debbie. He currently works for Christian Education Ministries, a company that owns and operates private schools.

One Comment

  1. Steve 28 March, 2011 at 10:03 pm - Reply

    Excellent post. We do tend to take things for granted much of the time. We live in an amazing country, where even our atheist PM endorses the Bible and its values. We have absolutely no excuse as Christians, to be sharing the gospel openly with those around us, knowing that our right of free speech is protected. Now we have a conservative government in NSW, so we have even less excuse. We need to take advantage of the situation, while it lasts.

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