What I have learned

Many people today believe that God and our relationship with him is a personal one.  I agree, but with a few exceptions.  There is a lot of stress placed on our personal relationship, but to what end?  To be able to grow and learn from Him and the Bible, of course.  Then what?  Just leave it there?  Is there no real world applicability to what we learn?

I'm asking these questions because I see a trend in our government where we are leaving the poorest in our country without any safety net--a means for food, shelter, clothing, health care, and education.  I have heard a few times that the budget cuts that we make reflect who we are as a nation.  I don't want to be defined as being unfeeling and cold-hearted towards those who don't have enough.  In this country of plenty we are leaving many without the basic necessities to a happy and healthy life.  How can we dismiss this part of our community?  Where does the Bible say we shouldn't help them and keep all of our "hard earned money" to ourselves?  As far as I can see, it doesn't.  In fact in many places we are encouraged to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate.  There are places in the Bible where a land owner is told to leave some of his crops in the field for the widows and the poor.  Does this sound like we are to keep all of our profits for ourselves?  Or does it sound like there are concessions made for those who don't have enough? 

As far as the government, where does it say it should have a hands-off approach and push the responsibility onto a charity?  In a growing "me" society I doubt that many would help except at holidays or for tax purposes.  We are told to emulate God and his love every day.  Christians even try to justify not helping others in some crazy ways.  Cherry picking words from the Bible rather than absorbing its whole message is a mistake.  We miss out on what God is conveying to us through his word and probably on many blessings.

What message is He trying to convey?  In my opinion it is that the individual is only one part of the whole.  One part of humanity and in order for it to function properly, we all must participate.  Some will not be able to participate like we do, but should their input be dismissed?  Are the "seniors" who live on a limited income not our elders?  We should be learning from them, not taking.  Aren't the poor children our future just like the ones with money?  We are what we sow.  If we ignore the poor children, how will they view the world?  How will they strike out at an uncaring and unfeeling community that wouldn't give them a chance to succeed because they were one of the "less fortunate"?

There are so many questions that I have about our society and I don't think that placing yourself and your needs above everyone else's is the answer to our problems.  That is too self-centered and not what God teaches us.  If we have excess, we should give to others.  We are not a poor country, but a mis-managed country who has a few priorities screwed up.