Politics and the Church – The Church v. the Angel of Light [Part 26]

     Before we start out this year I want to wish everyone a Happy 2020!  May God bless and guide your steps and decisions.  May we question our actions in relation to the will of God before we take steps in our relationships with today’s society.

     The angel of light not only wants to gender up anger and envy by those who feel slighted by society but also wants to deprive those who labor and work of the joys of their labor.  The Bible warns against not working and the Bible also tells of the blessings associated with working.  The Bible tells us that God worked.  He created the heavens and earth and all therein, and on the seventh day He rested.  Jesus also worked while He was here on earth to do the Will of His Father.  Matthew 14 tells us what Jesus’ workday was like.  Jesus worked from morning until late at night.  He did not receive any government handouts.  There are blessings that come from working.  Work creates products, time is used positively, learning occurs, relationships develop, prosperity is created to care for family and others.  Every job is honorable.

     The liberal platform is so anti-Biblical.  Not only does it keep you trapped in government handouts many of which oppose work requirements for those who receive them. In my research I came across a commentary on the value of work…”It has been truly said, that to desire to possess, without being burdened with the trouble of acquiring, is as much a sign of weakness, as to recognize that everything worth having is only to be got by paying its price, is the prime secret of practical strength.  Even leisure cannot be enjoyed unless it is won by effort.  If it has not been earned by work, the price has not been paid for it.”  The Bible says,“When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.” (Psalm 128:2).  The Bible further says,“Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.” (Ecclesiastes 2:24).

     While many dream of the day when they no longer are required to go off to work and can just ‘relax’ day in and day out, the truth is that this is not the life designed for humanity.  Everyone needs a place to go every day…either inside or outside the home.  Everyone also needs to have responsibilities, be held accountable, and have relationships.  I have had many assignments during my active duty in the Navy.  I earned wages, learned life lessons, developed character and discipline, and made relationships from each assignment.  Wages protected me from homelessness and allowed me to have food to eat…at times too much.  Working allowed me to gain wisdom about investing and the financial markets.  I learned practical things that helped me in life.  Working developed good habits of polite interaction and respecting authority and doing things efficiently.  It developed discipline of being on time and getting work finished in a timely manner.  Working allowed me to make great friends.  It also taught me how to appropriately use authority and to respect the unique contributions each individual makes to an organization.  That in itself is a priceless blessing. It takes a lifetime of experiences and learning to gain wisdom.

     When I retired from the Navy I thought the next phase of my life would be like the ‘Life of Reilly’.  That just wasn’t the lifestyle I was made for and I got to work keeping myself busy in a variety of activities.  Most people associate work with money.  I found that was not always the case. My activities included woodworking, model building, scouts, youth soccer, PTA, neighborhood watch, etc. none of which paid a salary but were a wealth of satisfaction.  Even after the death of my wife I have sought out activities that make waking up each day something to look forward to.  President Calvin Coolidge said,”All growth depends on activity.  There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work.”  The Bible says, “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.” [Hebrews 6:1].  We all need the discipline of a daily routine, a place to go, a need to be wanted in some capacity, relationships, fellowships, and to be held accountable for our actions.

     However, this is not the platform (scheme) of the liberal faction of American society.  Their agenda with regards to those who are able bodied and have no physical or mental barriers to work is to provide them endless government handouts.  As a result, many are denied the blessings that come with work.

     Next week we will look at just what some of those blessings are and how many can be deprived by a failure to work.

– Bob Munsey

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”   Winston Churchill