I usually do not go political on this blog, in conversation or pay much attention to politics in the news.
I do not get into politics on the blog because it's more or less just a good way to communicate with family and friends that we don't see to often, and it's a bit of a journal that hopefully both of our boys will be able to look back on at some point while jarring loose rusted memories.
I typically avoid politics in conversation because there are not too many people left, it seems, that can carry on a conversation with dissenting views (about any subject, much less the big two; politics and religion!) without it quickly dissolving into a series of ad hominem attacks. That isn't much fun and is certainly not an environment where either side is going to learn anything. Sadly, I have been guilty of that offense myself...
And I don't pay much attention to politics in the news because of several reasons. Not the least of which, most of it makes me sick to my stomach. If I can manage to not get nauseous, I don't believe a very large percentage of what I'm being told as my b.s. meter pegs in the red most of the time.
And the last, and by far most important reason is that I believe God puts the world leaders in place as He wants them to advance his Kingdom.
Where do I get the information from where I form my opinion? Well, the Bible...
We know from the book of Daniel, that Daniel had found favor in Gods eyes and God is with him through his many trials. In Daniel 2:21 after Nebuchadnezzars dream and decree that all the wise men be put to death because they cannot interpret the dream, God reveals the dream to Daniel and he praises God by praying the following:
Daniel 2:20 and said:
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
23 I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king.”
wisdom and power are his.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he sets up kings and deposes them.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
23 I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king.”
...or how about...
Romans 13:1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor....or, this one...
Ephesians 1, the apostle Paul declares: 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
Civilizations throughout time have come and gone. Great & powerful leaders of nations have reigned & have been dethroned. And all the while, God has been in control. In 1 Chronicles 29:12, we see Davids prayer to the Lord:
10 David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
“Praise be to you, O Lord,
God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.
God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.
I won't post it all here, but take a read thru the book of Amos where it teaches that the sovereign control of God is over all the affairs in heaven and on earth. Israel, as was it's wont (and sadly, ours as Americans as well), had willfully disobeyed God. Divine judgment came to the people in several ways: war, drought, famine, and plagues of grasshoppers. Read chapter 4 carefully and note the times God said to Israel that He was responsible for every disaster that befell the nation. Observe the use of the first person singular: "I also have given you . . . want of bread" (v. 6); "I have withholden the rain from you" (v. 7); "I have smitten you with blasting and mildew" (v. 9); "I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt" (v. 10); "I have overthrown some of you" (v. 11). God here informed the nation that He was the motivating force behind disease, death, drought, and destruction.
Now look at Amos 3:6, where the prophet asked, "Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?" The word evil here does not refer to moral evil, but rather a calamity.
Through the prophet Isaiah, God said, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I, the Lord, do all these things" (45:7). Again the word evil denotes any kind of a natural disaster such as a plague, drought, flood, or earthquake.
Through the prophet Isaiah, God said, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I, the Lord, do all these things" (45:7). Again the word evil denotes any kind of a natural disaster such as a plague, drought, flood, or earthquake.
Proverbs 8:15, 16 - says that governments should use wisdom to rule and to make laws that are just.
Proverbs 17:7 - says rulers also should not lie.
Proverbs 20:26 - says wise rulers always try to punish the wicked.
Proverbs 28:2-4 and 29:4 - urges rulers to maintain order justly, to follow God’s moral code and to avoid oppressing the poor.
That is what brings me to the true point of wanting to write this post. During this past presidential election, I couldn't count the times when rich, whiny Americans would bark and pee and moan about their various mistreatment(s) by the rich, or should I say, richer then themselves. How the 1% was oppressing their whiny butts and so on and so forth.
I do not pretend to know what it's like to be poor.
I can't.
I was raised in a fairly well-to-do middle class home where we had what we needed to get by, and then a little more on top of that. Yes, there were times when Dad was on lock out thru the union and a couple of times where those went on for longer than what was likely comfortable for my parents, but I as a kid really couldn't tell much difference, thanks to the shielding of those times from my parents.
Oh, I have two brothers and two sisters who may well remember things differently than I do, but for the most part, the only things we could have wanted for was a good diet plan! We did NOT go hungry.
Fast forward many years...
So one day, as is my current habit of the past 8 years now, I view the blog wattsupwiththat.com. It's run by a fella whom I admire greatly, Anthony Watts. I was attracted to his wattsupwiththat.com blog thru his surfacestations.org project. That's another story for another time.
Regardless off all of that, there are several individuals who contribute postings there, not the least of which is Willis Eschenbach.
Do I know him?
Nope.
Would I like to?
Yep. At least long enough to trade a few pints with him over stories. Mostly his stories which you can read plenty of, on the Watts web page.
So he wrote a blogpost called, "We have met the 1%, and he is us". It took me back to the election cycle and the disgust I felt during it.
It also made me look at EVERYTHING that I have with a little more respect from the One to which all things belong and were created.
Click on the link below or cut n' paste this into your browser for a good read:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/01/13/we-have-met-the-1-and-he-is-us/
Do it!
Then finish up here...
I'll wait.
It does get a bit political towards the end, but I don't really care about that. If you're truly offended, it's likely because of guilt.
Seriously.
Think about what Willis wrote and the two quotes near the end.
God does not have a problem with riches. He blessed many with livestock and wealth in the Bible. His problem is with the people that receive those blessings and whether they are good stewards of them.
Indeed, we are the 1%! How are we doing as good stewards from where you're sitting?
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