I try to avoid a lot of the political "news" and coverage, not because I am uninterested, but because there is so much of it out there and it can become overwhelming. I have more important things to do. Such as pray and read the Scriptures. Which brings me to today's reading from the St. James Daily Devotional Guide, Nehemiah 5. The author says there "was a great outcry" among the returning exiles, from those who said: "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get gain because of the famine." And there were those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax upon our fields and our vineyards. Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children are as their children; yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved; but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards."
Nehemiah was "very angry" about this. He brought charges against the nobles and officials. He confront them about the situation and exacted a pledge to leave off the interest for loans and also to restore to them their fields and vineyards.
This all gets to the notion of servitude placed on others. I heard the other day that the federal government of the US has to borrow 37 cents of every dollar it spends. Is this true? It seems commonsense to suggest that this cannot end well and that it will burden children and grandchildren.
These are questions raised by reading this passage and while not parallel in its details to 2010, the questions are important.
Reading on in chapter 5, I find Nehemiah refusing "the food allowance of the governor." He explains his decision:
The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens upon the people, and took from them food and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also held to the work on this wall, and acquired no land; and all my servants were gathered there for work... I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the servitude was heavy upon the people.
In other words, he took a big cut in pay, and conducted his service to the people as a public servant, not a master.
Where are such governors today in this economy? Just asking.
Nehemiah answers your question quite handily:
"But I did not do so, because of the fear of God."
Nothing new under the sun, as Solomon said. Great observation/post, brother.
Posted by: Bull | October 18, 2010 at 12:43 PM
For what its worth, Michael Bloomberg receives a check for $1 annually for his work as mayor of NYC. He has all the checks framed.
But I don't know that it affects his policies otherwise.
Posted by: Kyle French | October 18, 2010 at 12:51 PM
Ron Paul is about as close as you can get. But he is crazy according to our MSM.
Posted by: c matt | October 19, 2010 at 03:12 PM