Classic Classism

I was just thinking about - - -

There is some hint in the politics of our day that Marxism is beginning to appear. The idea occurs when it is associated with the words of a candidate suggesting small-town American voters turn to guns and religion out of bitterness with job losses. The word association is all-too-easy when reference is made to Karl Marx and his reference to religion serving as an opiate to the people.

The deeper issue that has been with our country for a long time is the idea of “a class society”! Whenever a discussion occurs about taxes, reference is almost immediately made to the benefit derived and received by the “rich”, whereas the “middle class” bears the brunt of the tax load, and those in “poverty” get overlooked or bypassed. It could be said that this is employing Marxist language in our contemporary body politic.

Another part of the “Class” issue focuses on the people group we call “illegal immigrants”. To be sure, there is a considerable cost associated with this people group. For instance, $29 Billion Dollars has been wired back to Mexico; $257 Billion has been sent back to Latin American Countries; the cost for social services for all in this group is $400 billion; costs for school children in this group is more than $14 billion; costs for incarceration of illegals is $1.5 billion; skilled jobs taken by illegals is 10.5 million. The medical costs for this group is astronomical. If you wish to keep up with the data and ongoing daily costs, you can do so online by going to: http://www.immigrationcounters.com.

The fact that there are designation of “Classes” is not new. The Bible addresses, but does not condone, the reality of people groups/”classes”. There is frequent mention of those who are indentured; those in captivity; those who know extreme poverty; those who are oppressed. And, there is the message of Hope through the prophets that deliverance will occur and their captivity will be ended. One can get a glimpse of the horrors experienced by some in Hebrews 11:36 through 38, ”Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated of whom the world was not worthy, wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” We find some passages that seem hard and difficult for us: (1) Titus 2:9, “Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative…”; (2) Colossians 3:22, “Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.”; (3) Ephesians 6:5, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ…” The words do not condone slavery but indicate how one should function as a believer in Christ while enduring adverse circumstances.

We actually have no idea where matters are headed in our nation and world. We already have some food rationing (rice) in California; Fuel costs are escalating beyond the limits of affordability; food riots are taking place today in Haiti; demand for goods world-wide is driving up costs; the lowered value of the American Dollar is impacting every household. And, we have a politician who claims some “…become bitter and cling to their guns and religion….” No solutions! Just rhetoric and more rhetoric.

A word for us in such times is in The Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 6:25 through 34. Take time to read it, and then, be confident in the True God Who assures us that all we need will be added and supplied to us.

You think about this with me - - - -