Oct 8, 2004
Here are a couple of excerpts from a very true parable of an ordinary “self-made man” who doesn’t realize how much he benefits daily from the selfless labor of courageous liberals over the years.
Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and that they work as advertised ….
Its noon time. Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe’s deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC or FDIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe’s money from unscrupulous bankers like those who ruined the banking system before the depression ….
He is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn’t have to. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home ….
He turns on a radio talk show. The host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn’t tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day.) Joe agrees, “We don’t need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I’m a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have”.
Are these Christian issues? Well, here is a very small sampling of relevant Scripture passages:
- Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you …. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you [James 5:1-4]
- They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely. [Mark 12:40]
- I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice. [Malachi 3:5]
- Woe to those who plan iniquity; to those who plot evil …. At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them …. Therefore, the Lord says: I am planning disaster against this people. [Micah 2:1,-3]
- On the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers …. Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice … to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood …. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with … malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise … [Isaiah 58:3-10]
- The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him. [Pro 20:23]
- He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker. [Pro 17:5]