Posted by
peripheral on Friday, March 27, 2009 8:38:53 AM
From My Perspective - - -
To
say, we are living in uncertain and strange times, would be sharing a
gross understatement. On the one hand, we have a nation who failed to
pay attention and was indifferent when avarice (the insatiable greed
for riches; inordinate, miserly desire to gain and hoard wealth) was
rampant; while on the other hand, overreacting and over-reaching with
proposed budgets and expenditures that are beyond imagination or
comprehension. A British Member of Parliament addressed the Prime
Minister while Parliament was in session and stated: “You can’t spend
your way out of recession, or borrow your way out of debt!” However, on
this side of the Ocean, we ignore that very sound principle.
Most
have heard the saying: “Nero fiddled while Rome burned!” In our own
way, the US Senate may be fiddling while the nation is drowning in debt
and bankruptcy. What is the focus of the US Senate? In part, the
Headline and Associated Press Report gives some indication. The Report
states: “SENATE REVIEWING HOW COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS NO. 1” - Mar 25
03:47 PM US/Eastern By FREDERIC J. FROMMER… “Everyone from President
Barack Obama on down to fans has criticized how college football
determines its top team. Now senators are getting off the sidelines to
examine antitrust issues involving the Bowl Champion Series. The
current system "leaves nearly half of all the teams in college football
at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to qualifying for the
millions of dollars paid out every year," the Senate Judiciary's
subcommittee on antitrust, competition policy and consumer rights said
in a statement Wednesday announcing the hearings. Under the BCS, some
conferences get automatic bids to participate in series, while others
do not. Obama and some members of Congress favor a playoff-type system
to determine the national champion. The BCS features a championship
game between the two top teams in the BCS standings, based on two polls
and six computer ratings. Behind the push for the hearings is the
subcommittee's top Republican, Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah. People there
were furious that Utah was bypassed for the national championship
despite going undefeated in the regular season…”
Meanwhile,
The President spoke about a topic of concern for the upcoming G 20
Conference to be held in London on April 2. He commented: “We have an
economic, security, and moral obligation to extend a hand to countries
and people who face the greatest risk…“If we turn our backs on them,
the suffering caused by this crisis will be enlarged, and our own
recovering will be delayed because markets for our goods will shrink
further and more American jobs will be lost…The G-20 should quickly
deploy resources to stabilize emerging markets, substantially boost the
emergency capacity of the International Monetary Fund and help regional
development banks accelerate lending…Meanwhile, America will support
new and meaningful investments in food security that can help the
poorest weather the difficult days that will come.” The question is:
“How, Mr. President?” we have already ignored the sage advice of a
British Member of Parliament: “You can’t spend your way out of
recession, or borrow your way out of debt.”
Consider these things
with me - - - Whether it was actual or not, Former President Bill
Clinton’s statement: “I feel your pain!”, resonated with the poor and
needy. In a similar way, there needs to be a greater sensitivity to and
implementation of James 2:14-18 (The Message) “Does merely talking
about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you
come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, ‘Good
morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!’
and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup -
where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without
God-acts is outrageous nonsense? I can already hear one of you agreeing
by saying, Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll
handle the works department. Not so fast. You can no more show me your
works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my
works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove…”
We cannot allow avarice or indifference to prevent our responsible care
and action toward those with genuine cares and needs! It’s true that we
cannot help everyone, but at least we can assist as many as we can – by
God’s Grace.