Thanksgiving – To Whom? 11-30-08
There is a trend today that calls for each person to give “according to his ability” and to receive “according to his needs”. Many feel that this is compassionate and fair, that this has the substance of wisdom and is surely from the Bible. It is not, of course; it actually comes from the socialist philosophy of Karl Marx. It is not a new idea – the Pilgrims tried this in the 1600’s at the Plymouth colony and discovered then what everyone has discovered since: collectivism fails miserably every time it is tried. In fact, the Pilgrims were only blessed (leading to the first Thanksgiving) when they embraced the individual responsibility and freedoms of a free market system. Each system depends on a source of blessing: the individual in the free market system depends on God for his blessings; the collectivists depend on the collective (the government) for their blessings. God will never bless a collectivist system (remember the story of the Tower of Babel – God broke up the first collective human effort).
There is a coming healthcare crisis because of collectivist (governmental) policies including Medicare and Medicaid. Doctors used to provide services based on individual need and ability to pay (including bartering services and “pro bono” work). Now a whole industry is needed just to handle the medical billing to insurance companies and governmental agencies. Canada’s crisis is in full bloom, as years for medically necessary procedures; their collectivist response to this problem was to outlaw private insurance options. And they are not being blessed.Similarly our retirement system is in dire jeopardy due to collectivist (governmental) interference. People used to save and maintain responsibility for their financial futures; now people scream for the government to protect them from loss – no matter that the loss came from unwise choices. Millions of Baby Boomers who were taught to gamble in the stock market are faced with destitution and the governmentally provided safety net is predictably bankrupted. Naturally, the call goes out for the government to therefore take over all retirement. No one calls for God, but they instead run to the government for salvation.
Christians, however, must trust in God! Many say that “God helps those who help themselves”. Nonsense! God helps those who cannot help themselves.
When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. 21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. 22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this. (Deuteronomy 24:19-22 NIV)
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:15-17 NIV)
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44 NIV)
Too many Americans celebrate Thanksgiving as a secular holiday. They have forgotten (or were never taught) that the first Thanksgiving was a response of man towards God, after man had already failed to do it his way. We have so much to be thankful for! And we can see that every time man tries to put himself in control of natural systems and relationships, things break down. But when man turns back to God, the floodgates of God’s blessings are opened. Let’s be mindful of his abiding presence in our lives, as we remember to turn toward God in our need, not a collective of flawed men.