The tension between enjoying the luxury of leisure time and surplus income with the weight of family responsibility is a difficult balancing act for the modern Christian
Some of the best moments of my music-listening life trace back to when I was a 13-year-old boy, captivated by the sounds of the album What’s the Story Morning Glory? It was 1996, and I first encountered the relatively unknown Oasis in an Oklahoma eighth-grade classroom. Little did I know that the sounds of this British band from Manchester would soon echo through every corner of the globe, leaving a lasting impact on a generation.
Fast forward a couple of decades, and Oasis, after countless public spats and headline-worthy brawls, have announced their reunion for a UK and Ireland tour in 2025. Fans worldwide, myself included, are holding their breath, hoping Noel and Liam can maintain some semblance of peace long enough to deliver what would undoubtedly be a legendary tour. The prospect of seeing them live again has me dreaming of booking a summer flight from Perth, Australia, back to the UK, where I could reunite with dear London friends and lose myself in the euphoria of “Morning Glory” alongside 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.
Yet, this dream presents a familiar conundrum that many Christian believers face when grappling with earthly desires. On one hand, I imagine God smiling at the idea of me spending a small fortune to see Oasis in London—contributing to the economy, from Qantas pilots’ wages to the beer servers at Wembley, and even the local burger joints I’d frequent during my Northern Hemisphere escapades.
But on the other hand, there’s the nagging thought that God might not fully approve of indulging in such selfish desires while I have responsibilities at home to provide the best housing and education for my wife and children. These contrasting thoughts form the bookends of what it means to follow Jesus Christ in the year 2024.
The truth is, there are no easy answers. I can confidently say that Jesus doesn’t call us to a life of abject poverty and joylessness, nor does he endorse a life of unchecked hedonism. It seems to me that Jesus desires a partnership with each of us, where we use our individual talents and resources to help our communities flourish. In doing so, we often find our own lives enriched as well.
So, while the decision of whether to chase this Oasis dream, or not, remains up in the air, one thing is clear: living a life of faith involves navigating these tensions, seeking balance between enjoying the gifts of this world and fulfilling our higher calling. And perhaps, in that balance, we find the true essence of a flourishing life.
Drew Cordell is a business consultant who has worked alongside some of the world’s most successful businesses and their leaders in an extensive corporate career in both London and Australia. His new book Honest Christianity: Why People Choose to Believe is available on Amazon and all good bookstores.
Drew Cordell is a business consultant who has worked alongside some of the world’s most successful businesses and their leaders in an extensive corporate career in both London and Australia. His new book Honest Christianity: Why People Choose to Believe is available on Amazon and all good bookstores.
