Good Stewardship
“Courage is being scared to death…. but saddling up anyway.”
America Needs to Exercise Good Stewardship.
Good stewardship by the United States Government (“We the People”) is failing miserably. Good stewardship is at the heart of Biblical expectation. Therefore, as a Christian Nation enjoying God’s blessings and founded on God given principles, the following topic is not just a necessary secular topic, but a necessary religious topic. Folks may be afraid to talk about and even engage in taking action, but they are even more afraid of the consequences. However, it is time to “saddle up”.
America is scared to death at this point in the country’s history. Due to poor stewardship with the American citizen’s dollars, the amount of the national debt has risen to near crisis levels. Any number of actions taken by other countries or by the American government could now bankrupt and destroy the United States as we know it. America’s unionized educational system from elementary school through the University is a money pit, not only putting out substandard students, but destroying its Christian values and heritage. Hard working Americans are being betrayed by internal foes who expect everything to be provided for them. Borders are being ignored and millions of illegal invaders pour into this country while political representatives waste time and money to get them voting rights. America is being lulled into a state of dependency, willing to lose its morality and individual liberties, rather than stand up and shout “This isn’t right!” This is not the America our Founding Fathers desired. It is a perverse America that is scaring its loyal citizens. Men with common sense and courage need to act. “To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (Bible – James 4:17)
Spending money unwisely is easy to do, especially when it is not yours. Does a sane man continue to employ someone who does the opposite of what he asks? Does a sane man fund a convict’s sex change operation or give him Viagra? Does a sane man who cannot pay his own bills, give “living” money to someone they know is going to spend it on alcohol, cigarettes, or gambling? This is what is happening with our government in many cases! It’s insane! Worse yet, the government is going into debt and charging us interest to do it. It is as if your father took out a loan to buy your sister an eighth pair of shoes, and then charged you with the interest until he paid off the loan. We are letting our steward do this with our money! “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” (Bible – I Corinthians 4:2) Someone who is faithful does not squander our money or put us foolishly into debt. They are to be making us better off, not worse off.
America knows the answer to the stewardship problem. Government needs to stop spending the people’s money foolishly! Stop taking the money from the people and giving it away to immoral causes and foreign nations! Stop spending on steak and lobster projects when we have a Ramen budget. The people of the United States love to help others and give generously. Yet, they value the money and possessions they have labored to obtain. Ask the man who has just spent his week unclogging sewer lines if he wants his hard earned money to be spent preserving habitat for an endangered moss. Ask hard working mothers and fathers if they want their money to fund abortions in other countries. Ask men and women who have just put in a 50+ hour week working, if they want their tax dollars given away to support someone who would rather gather unemployment for 2 ½ years than work “out of their field”. Again, the Bible provides direction, “If any will not work, neither let him eat”. America has good kind loving people. If they see someone with a true need, they “saddle up”. They can also do this far more efficiently than the government can!
There is a place in the Bible (Genesis 41), in which a man by the name of Joseph is chosen by the Pharoah of Egypt to prepare his people for a famine which was to come. During years of good harvests, he took great amounts of produce and stored it away. He prepared for the times when things would be lean. He understood it wasn’t a time to be wasteful. When the lean years came provisions were available, but not just given out wildly. They were properly managed. People “saddled up” and did the right things in good and bad times. Yes, it could be pointed out that this circumstance involved government. However, the government did what was right and sensible. Quite opposite from when it brought upon itself many plagues because it refused to do what was right (Exodus 1-13). When a government refuses to be sensible it is ultimately the people who are hurt. Their lifestyle will falter. The blessings will be fewer and fewer.
How does America “Saddle Up” in a time such as today?
First, the American people must remove as many immoral, dishonest, and poor stewards (representatives, politicians) as they can. Such courageous action was seen in the 2010 midterm elections. Citizens of American took out their spurs and got to work. When evil is put down mankind should rejoice. However, the work is not done.
Second, the American people must understand there is a consequence for allowing foolish stewardship. America cannot continue funding every pet project or want that exists. There is a difference between wants and needs. America needs armed forces for security. Some individuals want money for spotted owl habitat. Some individuals want money to examine the breeding habits of the banana slug. Some individuals want money to go to college. Some individuals want money so they can develop obscene sculptures. Some individuals want their farms to be subsidized. Needs must be met. Wants must be left up to the individual. This means that a lot of wants aren’t going to be immediately satisfied. It means wants may never be satisfied, unless hard work is engaged or someone is convinced your want is important enough for them to help you out. That is “saddling up”.
Third, the American people must remove from the government responsibilities which the citizens can do on their own. This means General Motors, Amtrack, USPS, education, student loans, healthcare (Obamacare, Medicaid, Medicare), retirement (social security), welfare, unemployment compensation, national parks, space travel, and other items. The problem with most of these services is the government has pumped the citizen’s money into them recklessly trying to keep them afloat. They have enabled inflated prices which would not otherwise be charged, creating dependency on government to afford them. It’s called, “Taking advantage”. These services should be completely out of Government hands or be managed by private industry. Private industry or individual families can do these less expensively and more efficiently. The biggest problem experienced with expecting someone to “Saddle Up”, is when they have never been expected to do so before. They don’t know what to do. They haven’t formed the right attitude, nor do they have confidence they can do it. In fact, many simply don’t want to try, opting rather for continued poor stewardship, rather than temporary discomfort.
Fourth, all government functions must be non-unionized. Unions have taken our government hostage. They demand and receive better compensation and retirement than the normal citizen. They influence politicians to vote immorally and foolishly. They cause ridiculous agendas to be passed based on their own selfish needs vs. that of the public. Unions have essentially become terrorist organizations that bring great harm in the form of shutdowns, slowdowns, and bureaucracy when their demands aren’t met. In the best interest of their country, they need to “saddle up”.
Finally, rather than charging different men different rates on their taxes, essentially discouraging those who want to work, and penalizing success, the current income tax system must be completely removed. In its stead should be a national sales tax, taken at the register of all businesses. In this fashion whether you are a citizen or illegal, poor or rich, black or tan, male or female, young or old, you pay the same tax as anyone else for what you need and want. No private information needs to be gathered. Reams of tax code are not needed. Thousands of unionized government employees would be free to take their assets to private industry and “saddle up”.
Good Stewardship is something that needs to be taught in every home. It needs to be engrained in our children’s minds and practiced by the mature. The examples need to be of men and women who are willing to act sensibly and make tough decisions based on helping everyone out for the long term, not getting what they want in the short term. If everyone “saddles up”, it will make the rough ride a lot smoother.
Matthew 25:23 – His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.