In one day I listened to two conversations that seem disconnected, but in the intricacies of the Spirit (or the subconscious) the connection occurred to me whilst I sat in a laundromat, wondering whether I should spring for a dryer or try to find space inside my van for my extensive washing pile.

In each moment the Spirit is with us. In the power of now, we have everything we need. And we are always being led. I believe it’s by Country, by God, by Spirit. It could also be by our common sense. A deep mental understanding of the world we live in, our needs as individuals and the needs of close and larger communities. In one conversation, I listened about the life of Peter, who was at the very least, best friend of Jesus. Peter’s life is unique in the New Testament in that we see the entire thread of his faith journey: his shadow moments, where in fear and anger he swipes at an enemy’s face with a sword; the moments of struggle where he denies his best mate three times, despite hours earlier love bombing him with how far he would go for Jesus. We also see the moments of healing, where he heals a leper, and feeds the flock of baby Christians.

This whole journey though started with answering a call. Before he’d had a conversation with Jesus, before he’d tried to heal or teach anyone Peter let go of the nets of his family business. In a moment of deep knowing, he dropped what everyone would have told him was important:  job, family, responsibility and followed a call. Everything else that we know of Peter, that defines him in our history books stems from this decision. Did he hesitate? Did the net tangle around his fingers as some part of himself tried to latch on to the seeming security of income and home?

I listened in on a teacher, this time on the internet. Last year was the first year since humans walked the earth that nature net emitted carbon. It’s an indicator of a possible tipping point. Oceans and forests can no longer take the carbon dioxide being emitted due to human activity and store it for us. It could be an anomaly: a one-off year, with some fires in the wrong places and more cattle fed in another. It could also be the start of a trend. The person presenting the podcast, surprisingly went biblical on me. With this information how do we answer the call? The climate crisis is not happening because you’re flying too much or because you had children. It’s happening because a few wealthy people are pushing war and fossil fuels to burn until it creates human extinction. Or worse.

From a jail in the UK, Roger Hallam then compared this information to the rich man who meets Jesus. “What must I do to have eternal life?” We all know the reply. “Sell all your belongings, then follow me?” The rich man walked away. And that’s what we do as a community, as a society. It’s not enough to play the games of the elite, changing our buying and recycling habits, or participating in a voting system set up solely to let the elite continue to get richer. We must go where we are being led. And that might cost us everything. It was the way of George Fox, the way of Jesus, the way of many people in many different forms: to let go of what we think will give us security; to find out what gifts we might be meant to be using.

I imagine if we had tea that night with Peter and we asked him why did he drop his nets, he probably wouldn’t be able to give a rational answer. Perhaps a week later, several nights of walking, sleeping rough and perhaps without much food, he may have had more doubts. How could Peter, a week into his Ministry know where he was being led?

It is the same challenge we face. With the information of colonial lead climate crisis, we do not know what our small and collective role will be, only that it is important that we follow our leadings, that we set out on the Way. As most of you know, I have been flailing along at this for a few years. I am scared, depressed at times and far, far from perfect. But it’s never about being good, having it good or doing good. It’s about trusting, hearing the call of our times and being willing to step off the boat. Once you’re out, one thing I can tell you – community has got you. A feeling many of us will never understand until life, or our choice to step out- plunges us over the edge. Days when I’m in a laundromat thinking about my wet socks, I do feel like it is the most secure choice in the world.