Trusting Government

Generations have their own names now, generation X or Y are relative new comers. The Lost Generation fought in WWI followed by The Silent Generation of the 1930’s. Baby Boomers were born at the end of and just following WWII.

One journalist referred to the preceding generation as “The Greatest Generation” because they suffered the deprivations of the Great Depression and fought in WWII. It’s hard to explain the changes that have occurred since that time. Some are obvious, central air and heat, luxury cars, technology and communication innovations.

Maybe the biggest change since the greatest generation is the sense of dependency. Perhaps because many from that era grew their own food made their own clothes cut their own firewood and drew water from a well they dug rather than getting it from the tap. Whatever the cause, what has developed is a sense that someone else can take care of me better than I can care for myself.

The inevitable consequence for people who give up self-reliance is a sense of betrayed by the people they trust.

France solved their unemployment problem by forcing people to retire at age 55. That created a worse problem. How does the government support millions of people for possibly 30 years after they stop working? Now France is threatening to raise the retirement age to over sixty.

The baby boomers in America number about 75 million but the scariest part of all is they (I should say we) are about to begin collecting social security. If each of these people receives $1,000 per month that’s $75 million every month or roughly another Hurricane Katrina or Iraq war every month from now on. If that doesn’t scare you it gets worse; we’re living longer than ever.

Maybe you heard the news this week that for the first time social security outgo exceeded income. What happened to all that money invested in FICA taxes over the years? The simple fact is government could not be trusted with the money so they spent it.

It doesn’t take a financial expert to conclude that our country’s politicians have promised more than government can afford. Where did our leaders go wrong?

It’s a slippery slope for leaders to begin doing things for citizens that citizens should do for themselves. It leads to the mistaken belief that “government” can take care of every need. However well-intentioned the men in charge, they are fools to ever entertain such ideas. Not only is it a mirage, it is idolatry.

I was once a member of a church that taught submission to church government as a major doctrinal tenet. The church collapsed under the weight of corruption and bureaucracy. For those of us who put our faith in “government” it was a great disappointment. Yet it was an invaluable lesson on the evils of idolatry.

As C.S. Lewis said, people don’t make idols out of bad things. We make idols out of nations, families and churches.

Yes, churches! And that may be the core of the problem. The Apostle Paul wrote, “My dear friends, you have always obeyed God. You obeyed while I was with you. And you have obeyed even more while I am not with you. So continue to work out your own salvation. Do it with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12 NIrV)

Notice the admonition to “work out your own salvation.” Even in the matter of salvation, in fact, especially in the matter of salvation, don’t put your trust in government. It will inevitably fail. Trust God. Paul was confident that God was trustworthy yet he acknowledges that it isn’t easy. Some “fear and trembling” may be involved.

The political Church was never intended to save man. An apt metaphor may be that of giving a man a fish to provide a meal versus teaching him to fish so he can eat for a lifetime. A man can take care of himself if he knows how. The job of the Church is to teach men about God so they can work out their own salvation.

A case in point is Jacob whose name was changed to Israel. Jacob was taking his family back to his homeland when he realized the need to be alone before encountering his brother Esau. Jacob withdrew to a private area where he met a man that the Bible reveals to be God.

The most amazing thing happened next. Jacob “wrestled” with God. (Gen. 32:24-28) It was a match that lasted until the break of day.

No one to help. No army, government or even a friend. He was left alone to work it out. It seems God wanted to know whether he would persevere. This was the event where God gave him the name “Overcomer with God.” He became the father one of the greatest civilizations that has ever existed.

I suspect the time is approaching when many people in our country will feel a sense of betrayal because the government cannot deliver on what it has promised. Yet those who have “wrestled with God” as Jacob did are the ones who will overcome.

As Paul wrote to the Congregation at Ephesus, “…let the Lord make you strong. Depend on his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)

Until next time,