A friend told me this evening that her home insurance was discounted as a result of being ‘a church goer’.

Cue much speculation as to why this would make you less of an insurance risk.

Are church goers less likely to smoke, and so set fire to their houses? Less likely to have wild drinking parties that lead to scratches in the French polishing (remember the old advert for yellow pages? ” All quiet…”)

Or do the risk assessors have some kind of stereotypical view of Christians as solid middle class citizens who drive sensible cars stored in solid garages and whose sense of right and wrong would result in far less fraudulent claims?

But then again- have they missed something?

What about the possibility of the Rapture? All those holes in the ceiling as we rise with a trump and fly…

And I wonder if they have read the gospels? Because I am not at all sure that Jesus would have been a good insurance risk. All that associating with neer-do-wells and criminals for a start. And then there is the partying, and the crowds who break holes in the roof to let down the lame for healing.

Jesus did not go in much for the protection of his private property. He told his disciples that they did not need two shirts on their backs.

And I am forced to wonder if we people of faith should be more proud of an insurance assessment that views us as high risk.

Because our homes are open places for others in need- who might well steal and break things that we own.

Because our lifestyles are characterised by mobility as we follow after the winds of the Spirit.

Because we are not tied down to suburban safety and solidity, but rather prepared to accept the risks of the open road.

Because we are motivated by justice and peace, and that is not always popular.