Thursday, October 02, 2008

Analphabet--A Spiritual and Societal Dilemma

Analphabet seems a word very apropos in contemporary Baptist circles. The word "analphabet" means to have a decided lack of understanding of the basics of a matter. Such, I fear, would describe most members of Baptist churches.

Members saunter jauntily along with seemingly little regard for the time and finances necessary to maintain the facilities in a way which honors God and His Divine Provision. Seen pausing along the way to observe the beauty and dignity of the path they travel, they carelessly litter the byways; expecting another to stop, stoop, and remove their thoughtlessly disposed of refuse.

It is little wonder that so-called "Believers" look to government to alleviate the consequences of their financial mis-steps. Spiritual leaders have been doing "for" these parasitic hangers on for so long, they have grown to expect society to rescue them without recrimination when bad choices resulting from faulty logic lead to economic or social disaster.

My father left Mississippi in 1957 and took his family to Texas in search of opportunity and financial stability. His tendency to act impulsively a few years earlier led him to divest himself of his inheritance, leaving his family dependent upon his meager earnings and family support. Upon arriving in Texas, the family economic situation deteriorated due to a union strike at the place he had obtained work. The family car was repossessed, and almost everything of value was sold to feed and clothe the growing family. However, my father had learned his lesson.

Never a shirker from work, my dad stayed the course and eventually landed a well-paying job which enabled the family to eventually purchase a home and enjoy a new automobile. Along the way he communicated to me, his hard earned lesson that while bad choices and faulty logic are commonplace, one can overcome them with good counsel and hard work.

My dad did not expect the government to provide for him and his family. He did not consider himself poor or disadvantaged. He considered himself fortunate that he could begin again. He and my mother experienced and understood the ravages of bad choices based upon faulty logic, but they never expected others to "bail them out."

Contemporary Believers, whose trust should be in The Lord God of Heaven to allow them to start over when bad choices based upon faulty logic bring economic and social disaster, instead seem so dependent upon government that our representatives feel free to mortgage the nation's future to prevent the chickens of bad choice based upon faulty logic from coming home to roost.

Spiritual leaders must, I believe, begin to preach and teach responsibility and accountability once again. One man has said, "When you emphasize rights, you promote rebellion. When you emphasize responsibility, you promote revival." From the local church, to local officials, and on to national officials, responsibility and accountability must once again become the watchword, for if we remain ignorant of the basics for living in a free society, we are destined to repeat again and again the same mistakes until we lose that freedom.


© 2008 Mike Rasberry

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