Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Just who is responsible?

I heard a political candidate the other night state that if elected it would be his responsibility to provide shelter, food, and clothing. The only problem with this statement is that such responsibilities are not outlined in the Constitution (just to make sure I actually read the thing). There is no mention in the Constitution of the government providing shelter, food, or clothing.

So then just who is responsible? Well, some may say that it is the individual's responsibility to work and provide for themselves. We may say that it is the responsibility of the parents to provide such things for their children. We would be correct in these assertions. Never the less, we must also recognize that there are many who even with the best intentions and efforts cannot adequately provide even these basic necessities of life.

So then, who is responsible to assist those with shelter, food, and clothing? Again, these items are not mentioned in the Constitution. However, these are mentioned in such places as Deuteronomy 15, Isaiah 58, Matthew 25, and James 2. It is right to say that it is not the government's job to care for our neighbors. It is also right to say that it is the job of the Church. How can we claim to be the Church of Christ, the one who came to preach good news to the poor, when we spend untold millions on our own comforts? At what point does the Church recognize that millions spent on gymnasiums, grand fountains, coffee shops, and "Christian" teddy bears is an abomination as nearly 30,000 children die today because of a lack of basic food, shelter, and medical care? Of course, we justify the spending of these millions because we say that such things help us to attract and win loss souls? I just have one question then: If spending money on such things is helping us to win loss souls, then why is the church in North America on the decline?

1 comment:

Jeremy said...

Take it a step further; the Church should not just provide these basics, but it should also work on making society equitable so the poor can pull themselves up through education and living wage paying jobs. You know, social justice...