One of my favourite Mr Men characters is Mr Topsy-Turvy. Everything he does is upside down and back to front.

I like him because he reflects so much the principals of Christ. In God’s economy “the way up is down”. Jesus said: “The first shall be last and the last first”, “He who would be greatest among you must be servant of all” and “Anyone who saves his life shall lose it, but anyone who loses his life for my sake shall find it.”

What a relief to discover that, if we entrust our lives to Jesus, we no longer have to fight for ourselves.

The apostle Peter later wrote: “God oppos-es the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

Believing in God is not simply a matter of acknowledging his existence – it is about developing an intimate personal relationship with him like a child with his or her parents, following his ways and living under his blessing. Hooray for Mr Topsy-Turvy.

Andy Taylor Town Centre Community Church