What's On My Heart

*WARNING* This post has no choice but to have some political overtones today. If you are trying to avoid what is going on in our nation, you might want to back out now.

I try very hard to keep my mouth shut on social media about straight out politics. My job, and my passion sometimes makes that impossible and I want to show you in Biblical terms, why I have a big issue with the things going on.

Before I even go there, I want to share some verses. I have been reading Deuteronomy, and have seen this thread several times:

• "If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother." Deuteronomy 15:7

• "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land." Deuteronomy 15:11 

• "Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns." Deuteronomy 24:14 

• "Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge." Deuteronomy 24:17 

• "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. 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. 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." Deuteronomy 24:19-21 

• "'Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow.' Then all the people shall say, Amen!'" Deuteronomy 27:19 

 I personally believe the Bible, in its entirety, is meant to show us the way to live, but just in case you are one of those people who think the Old Testament is just historical and the New Testament is what you live by--here you go...

• Jesus answered, If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'" Matthew 19:21 

• "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." Matthew 25:35 

• "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys." Luke 12:33 

• "But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind." Luke 14:13

• "When Jesus heard this, he said to him, You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'" Luke 18:22
• "Beware of the teachers of the law . . . They devour your widows' houses . . . Such men will be punished severely." Luke 20:46-47

• "In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor." Acts 9:36

• "On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.'" Romans 12:20 

• "For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem." Romans 15:26 

• "All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do." Galatians 2:10  

• "Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need." 1 Timothy 5:3 

• "Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, 'Here's a good seat for you,' but say to the poor man, 'You stand there' or 'Sit on the floor by my feet,' have you not discriminated among yourselves and becomes judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?" James 2:2-6 

• "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18 

This week the Presidents proposed budget was issued for 2018. He claims that it is a budget full of working toward public safety and national security. A tremendous amount of money has been poured into the military while cutting many programs that are vital to our nation's citizen's well being.  It claims to reduce money to other nations and reduce duplicate programs and eliminate programs that don't work. Part of me has to wonder, if you are pulling the rug out from under people who are already in desperate situations, who is the military really going to be protecting? I know for a fact desperate people can get to a point where they feel they have nothing to lose. I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but it has crossed my mind that the military may be being beefed up to handle the mobs of our own people who are at that point. Sorry, not sorry.

Of course, the programs that I work with have all been cut to zero. While there has always been some bi-partisan support over the years, I am afraid that there is a chance that these programs will be cut drastically. In 2014, we had a propane shortage. The 9 counties that our agency serves has one of the highest number of propane customers in the State. I talked to so many clients that year, many seniors who were truly afraid of freezing to death, it was heart-wrenching, and scary to say the least. I was so thankful, and humbled to be able to play a part in that not happening. Another program that has been deemed as "not working" is Meals on Wheels. Home-delivered meals. I don't know if it is common knowledge but we operate Senior Centers in three of our counties, every one of them provide home delivered meals to those who cannot get out. Our Senior programs have been hurting for years. As more people hit that senior level and because of the economy have, in many cases, less to live on than even those before them. It is an issue. I will try not to post too much more here on this site regarding the situation, but please know, I have a feeling we will be back to the drawing board as far as fighting for funding.

I also want to address those who think some people aren't worthy of help. Are you worthy of the salvation you have through Christ? There isn't one of the verses that say help the poor if you think they deserve help. That's not for you or I to decide. Judging has NEVER been our jobs. I totally agree that we all need to know what is right and wrong, but when it comes to helping someone, let whether or not they really need it fall on them. We are to do what is right, and if it is misused, it is the ones who misused it who have to answer to the Lord.

I am going to leave you with another couple of verses.

2nd Timothy 3:1-5 says:

 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

 I see so much of the love of money, the ungratefulness, and the "without love" coming out of our own churches, "having a form of godliness but denying its power".  How very sad when Christ himself stated that the greatest commandments was to love the Lord your God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. 

If you are a follower of mine on facebook and don't like what I have to say, please just unfriend me now. This is my entire defense for what I will be fighting for over the next few months, until the budget is passed. I don't want to argue with anyone-this is my stance, in its entirety, not changing my mind.
  
Back in November, I stated we have much work to do. We have a lot of educating to do. This is me, doing that.

This song is near and dear to me and has been ever since I really got what Community Action does.