I have been thinking a lot lately about the whole government
shutdown/slim down thing and found that I have a questions for
everyone in congress, especially those that claim to be Christians or
Jews. Tell me where in the scriptures, in both the Jewish and
Christian bibles, does it say that you should throw the elderly,
handicapped, widows or poor under the bus? What chapter and verse is
that to be found in?
Did Jesus say blessed are the poor, but only if they are
politically connected? Did Paul write that the widows and orphans
should be cast aside to make a political point? Where exactly is it
to be found in the Torah ( the laws of Moses ) that you are to make
sure the handicapped and poor families get tossed out of their homes
or sold into slavery so you can prove that you are are not seen as
weak by your constituents? You may search from Genesis to Revelations
and you won't find it. In fact you'll find quite the opposite.
In writing the laws of the Torah, God directed Moses as to how
they were to treat the poor amongst them, everything from leaving the
corners of the fields un-harvested so that the poor wouldn't go
hungry to not charging a man interest or taking his cloak for any
length of time if it was used to assure that loan. In other words the
poor should be cared for. Even today in Israel it is still considered
a commandment from God, not just a mere suggestion, and they are
greatly blessed despite the enemies that surround them.
Jesus in his ministry reemphasized that in all his teaching
telling his followers point blankly that they were to love their
neighbors as them selves. One of the best illustrations he used was
the story of the good Samaritan. While those in power passed the man
who was badly injured, afraid of what might happen top them, a
Samaritan,who was despised by the leaders of his day, helped the man,
even seeing to it that he was taken care of while he was to be gone.
He didn't ask the man about his party affiliation, didn't even ask
his name, he simply saw a man in need and helped him.
So I am a bit confused as to why it appears that all sides are
willing to throw us under the bus when the very principals that the
country was founded on would dictate that they should do quite the
opposite.
I am not going to get long winded over this because for me it's a
very personal and very real issue but I will say that it's going to
be very embarrassing for me to have to go, hat in hand, to beg to
keep a roof over my head while those who cause the problem get to
stay in theirs.
One last thought; How we treat the poor in this country is a great
reflection of our national soul, what I see doesn't look good.
Shalom.
