Busyness

- Andy P

I am occasionally struck by the peculiarity of elements of my lifestyle. I rarely stroll round London; I tend to walk speedily and with purpose. As I weave around the tourists (they are the worst) and other ‘strollers’ that clutter the London pavements I sometimes ponder the origin of my need for such haste...

London is a busy city. It oozes busyness. Its busyness is infectious. Christian communities in London need to model an active and radical Christianity free from the oppressive busyness that pervades the city.

It is interesting how society sees being busy as something imposed, and in that sense undesirable, but also as a subtle mark of success. Busy people are successful people. But busyness has some puzzling characteristics:

• First is the illusion that busyness is imposed. Although external factors sometimes make us temporarily busy, the majority of what we describe as busyness is a direct result of choices we have made. Time is a constant in life but we do with it as we choose. Very often, ‘I did not have time’ really means ‘I chose not to’. 
• Second, busyness is often not a set of circumstances but a mindset that affects our approach to other areas of life. It is surprisingly easy to feel pressure and stress that stems from an artificial perception that there is too much going on. Paradoxically, this stress can also be fed by a fear of appearing lazy (It is easy to draw security from fullness of our diaries). 
• Third, busyness is self-perpetuating. The more we fill life with activity the less time we have to reflect on its importance. As a result we can be controlled by perceived ‘responsibilities’ that are actually insignificant.

Having said this, it is clear that being active is not a bad characteristic for a Christian (or anyone) to have. Christianity is not simply a set of beliefs but a call to act positively in the world. However, that does not mean busyness should be an unquestioned state of being. When we explore its characteristics we find hidden dangers. How can we be passionate, risk-taking advocates of the peace and hope of Jesus without being sucked into an unhealthy mindset of busyness? How can we shape missional communities that do not reduce mission to ‘doing lots of things’?

I find this an ongoing challenge.

It is crucial that churches continue to explore and articulate a theological basis for active Christianity. The New Testament grapples in a number of places with the tension between legalism and action and the relationship between grace and ‘getting things done’. The practical aspects of these topics should continue to characterise our theological discourse. Jesus is himself an accessible and practical example to us. As an advocate of peace, both inside and outside the individual, Jesus said ‘do not worry about your tomorrow’. He chose periodically to escape from the crowds and rest with his heavenly Father.

Perhaps the most powerful antidote to a mindset of busyness is a greater realisation that our calling as Christians is communal. We are called in our togetherness to represent Christ in the world. There is freedom in understanding the many aspects of the Christian mission that others (and therefore not us!) are called to do. As we seek, together, to pursue actively our calling we need to have the courage to occasionally slow our pace, meander a little, and  give space for imagination and faith.