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WHAT kind of government do
you have? Good or bad? Do you have it good or not? And how can you tell? |
HERE'S
an ancient saying that reveals the best way to judge such matters. It's better than leaving it up to personal opinion, and
superior to the evening news at informing you about the real deal, and
what's really up, with all these concerns.
The Scriptural Answer...
First, let's see how cities and even entire nations are honored, or destroyed:
| "Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed" (Proverbs 11:11). |
What does this mean exactly?
The blessing of the upright is when righteous people (and true justice, as defined by the Creator's law, statutes, commandments and judgments) prosper, and the wicked perish (verse 10).
Or, said differently:
| "With his mouth the unrighteous destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape" (verse 9). |
For instance:
| "A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret" (verses 12-13). |
And finally, how this affects the safety and security of the entire community, city, state or nation, is whether or not the righteous, knowledgeable and wise are able to prosper there, since:
| "'For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure" (Proverbs 11:14). |
Real Safety or False Security?
What sort of guidance, wisdom and righteous deeds are generally lacking in your world today?
The very next verse gives you the clue and answer to the modern riddle of unjust governmental oppression, through the courts for example:
| "He who puts up security for another will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge [be a surety for someone else] is safe" (Proverbs 11:15). |
Don't know what that means?
No wonder you are probably doing just that, every single day without knowing it, and have been needlessly suffering because of your miseducation-induced ignorance about something so vital and important to your peace of mind and safety!
As another word of wisdom warns you:
| "Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you" (Proverbs 22:26-27). |
If you doubt that this possibly describes you, or anything you would ever do, perhaps you had better reconsider, because it's almost 100% certain that you are doing this very thing every single day, without even realizing it (see the article in this issue: "One Smooth Stone").
And because of this your entire way of life has been suffering from one form of insecurity and distress or another, such as from the bad economy (this was written before the recent economic troubles began) to fines, fees, taxes and penalties -- even punishments and possibly imprisonment -- all unnecessarily, needlessly and avoidably!
Reasons To Rejoice?
When the tax axe slashes your income to the bare bone, do you rejoice?
And when the inflation thief stealthily steals your hard labor and savings, giving you nothing but grief in return, are you elated, happy and overjoyed?
When the petty dictatorial bureaucrat causes you trouble and threatens you with fines, penalties or even jail, are you ecstatic and well-pleased?
Or are you searching, perhaps even desperately seeking and looking, for a way out of all this mess?
To put it another way:
| "When the righteous rejoice, there is great elation; but when the wicked rise to power, men go into hiding" (Proverbs 28:12). |
How do you feel or react, and what is your first instinct, when someone throws the words I.R.S. and "audit" in your direction?
What about "license fee" and "penalty," or "ticket," "violation," and other such words that get tossed in your direction from time to time?
Can you afford all those taxes, fees, fines, penalties, and punishments for noncompliance when you don't or can't?
What about your neighbor? And if they find a way to avoid what you feel forced to pay, don't you feel just a little bit resentful toward them?
When you think of property seizures and confiscations, without recourse from your supposed "protectors," who are more engaged in mere flaw enfarcement as opposed to real law enforcement, consider the following true proverb:
| "As a roaring lion, and a raging bear; so is the wicked ruler over the poor people" (Proverbs 28:15). |
Poor people, in general, are all those who cannot afford to hire others to do their work for them, which today includes the vast middle class, but not the minorities who live off of easy "welfare," or other government benefits, at the expense of those who work for a living.
So, even if none of this has personally affected you adversely yet, if it is affecting the poor people in your community; if something isn't done to stop this oppression, your property or life may (if fact will) eventually suffer for it.
Wise Words of Advice
Remember the following sage words of wisdom:
| "He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them will have many curses" (Proverbs 28:27). |
For instance:
| "When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive" (verse 28). |
So here's the question again:
Are you rejoicing over your way of life, your world, or your city, state or nation, today?
If not, perhaps it's because:
| "'When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked rule, the people groan" (Proverbs 29:2). |
Remember this the next time you are asked to stand as surety for the debts (or "debt to society") of a fictional straw-man corporate alleged "PERSON," whose fictitious name appears or seems to be like your own, only always spelled in all-capital letters.
When called by such a "bad name," do you answer "here" or "present," or will you instead say: "I refuse to stand as surety for the debts of that alleged person," and then observe how the matter gets settled as a result?
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