Consider Your Ways

This photo was taken at Rolla, Kansas. You'll find many of these of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas where much was sown, and for good reason, little was brought in. If you read Haggai, you'll understand the problem wasn't a dust bowl but Israel's relationship to God at that point in time:

Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.  (Haggai 1:5-7 KJV)

I wrote a note in Sunday School class a few weeks ago about this verse in Haggai, as it appeared to me to mirror our country at this moment. So I went looking for the concept of "wages to put it into a bag with holes. I went along a "rabbit track" and maybe have taken it too far. I ended up on a page of Johnathan Swift's "Political Lying" essay. I had a good visit, though, that not only fits into Haggai's time, Ovid's time, but also fits for us today. Oh, Ovid? Here's what he wrote (among close to tons of other things):

Equibus hi vacuas implent sermonibus aures,

Hi narrata ferunt alio: mensuraque ficti

Crescit, et auditis aliquid novus adjicit auctor.

Illic Credulitas, illic temerarius Error,

Vanaque Laetitia est, consternatigue Timores,

Seditioque recens, dubioque auctore Susurri.

With idle tales this fills our empty ears;

The next reports what from the first he hears;

The rolling fictions grow in strength and size,

Each author adding to the former lies.

Here vain credulity, with new desires,

Leads us astray, and groundless joy inspires;

The dubious whispers, tumults fresh designed,

And chilling fears astound the anxious mind.

Ovid, Metamorphoses, XII 56-61

I didn't take time to see who translated the latin, and to rhyme, but the meaning is clear. Gossip accompanies politics. Fictions grow, credulity is strained, both joy and fears accompany rumors.

Let's clear a bit about how following Christ fits into political campaigns. What did Jesus say about government:

Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. (Matthew 22:17-21 KJV)

There is nothing else in the gospels where government is mentioned. Oh, tax collectors are mentioned, but only in relation to their own interactions with Jesus and admission of error, careers went unchanged. There was no discussion of Roman governmental errors. Even Herod, who killed children, was not railed against nor overthrown. There were such groups in Jesus' time, but neither He nor His followers were noted for doing more than convincing individuals to live as He, and they were inspired to example.

On the other hand, we are told to "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's," therefore we are to be involved in government as we are called. Daniel was certainly involved in governments:

Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. (Daniel 2:48 KJV)

That lasted through changes of rulers and kingdoms. Such an example tells us that some people are called into governmental service just as any other field. Specifically, people in authority are to be seen as ordained by God. That is so hard to understand, but it is specific:

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1 KJV)

It is easy to say these words meant pastors in churches - but that doesn't seem to be the case as we continue reading in chapter 13. Thankfully, in our country and many others, those in highest power are subject to authority given to citizens, who not only have the right to speak, but to vote, and even to change the authority in power - within the governing laws. We also have the privilege to speak out when persons in authority no longer operate within legal boundaries.

We need to be considering our ways because we've been given instructions as to how to live. Jesus was specific on the first commandment out of the Ten:

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)

Paul was just as specific regarding the second:

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Romans 13:8-9 KJV)

The dedication of Paul's life to spreading the gospel speaks of his own love for God. For his reaching out to individuals and teaching that God's love was for them and that following His instructions would provide for them eternally. This from a man imprisoned for doing just that!

That should make us give serious thought to the Messiah, Jesus, who said:

But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine. (Matthew 22:31-33 KJV)

Frankly, I remain astonished today as when I first understood that this world is temporary. No matter how long it has been here, nor how long it will be here, it is temporary. As individuals, David said it so well:

For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. (Psalms 90:9 KJV)

And the greatest astonishment comes when we realize that God is interested in each individual story, ready to welcome our souls in the same manner as the prodigal's father in Luke 15:11-32. 

Aren't we very much as the Israelites to whom Haggai prophesied? Complained about? We do much and have little. Let's take time to consider our ways, asking God's guidance for what needs to be changed within ourselves.