From My Perspective - - -
Syncopation addresses the metrical variances within a musical score. The Encyclopedia Britannica has this notation about Syncopation: “in music, the displacement of regular accents associated with given metrical patterns, resulting in a disruption of the listener's expectations and the arousal of a desire for the reestablishment of metric normality…” Years ago, a popular melody was: The Syncopated Clock. The way it was scored made it pleasant to hear for a short period of time. The narrow definition for Syncopation is: “a shifting of the normal accent, usually by stressing the normally unaccented beats; the use of rhetorical stress at variance with the metrical stress of a line of verse.” Basically, the normal flow, beat and tempo has been altered and the chords and musical tones become detached from each other.
Allowing an extended application of Musical Syncopation to life, one can readily observe that the normal ebb and flow of life for many has become syncopated at best, and discordant at worst. This Christmas Season is different for many. In one County in Alabama, more than 25% of the people are unemployed and the prospect for those individuals and families is bleak. When industries shut down and have no plan to start back up again – that is dismal and disruptive. As the National unemployment figure moves above 10% (more like 17% if those who have given up looking for employment are included), hope is replaced with despair, and gifts become unaffordable! On top of this syncopation in life, an Associated Press Headline is: “NEW CREDIT CARD HAS 79.9% INTEREST RATE.” The report states: “It's no mistake. This credit card's interest rate is 79.9 percent. The bloated APR is how First Premier Bank, a sub-prime credit card issuer, is skirting new regulations intended to curb abusive practices in the industry…Typically, the First Premier card comes with a minimum of $256 in fees in the first year for a credit line of $250. Starting in February, however, a new law will cap such fees at 25 percent of a card's credit line. In a recent mailing for a pre-approved card, First Premier lowers fees to just that limit -- $75 in the first year for a credit line of $300. But the new law doesn't set a cap on interest rates. Hence the 79.9 APR, up from the previous 9.9 percent. It's the highest on the market. First Premier targets people with bad credit who likely can't get approved for cards elsewhere. It's a group that tends to lean heavily on credit too, meaning they'll likely incur the steep financing charges. So for a $300 balance, a cardholder would pay about $20 a month in interest. In a mailing sent to prospective customers in October with the revamped terms, First Premier writes: "...you might have less-than-perfect credit and we're OK with that." The letter also states there are no hidden fees that aren't disclosed in the attached form. That's where the 79.9 percent interest rate and $75 annual fee are listed. There's also $29 penalty if you pay late or go over your $300 credit limit.”
Some desperate people may accept that risk and pay those fees – just to have something special for Christmas. Admittedly, this nation is far from being a Theocracy. However, God’s Rules and Principles for those who are coping with a Syncopated Life are applicable – especially with this new approach of sub-prime lending. In Exodus 22:22-27 is a Biblical Law about Usury: “You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child…If you lend money to any of My people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.” A summary regarding Usury is given in Proverbs 28:8, “Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.” Another interesting statement is made in Ezekiel 22:12-13, “…they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; but Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD. Behold, I strike My hand at the dishonest gain that you have made…” In whatever way we can, try to look kindly on those whose Syncopated Lives leave them vulnerable, helpless and hopeless. Try to make a difference in the name of the God Who gave us His Only-Begotten Son one Christmas many years ago. Consider these things with me!
Syncopation addresses the metrical variances within a musical score. The Encyclopedia Britannica has this notation about Syncopation: “in music, the displacement of regular accents associated with given metrical patterns, resulting in a disruption of the listener's expectations and the arousal of a desire for the reestablishment of metric normality…” Years ago, a popular melody was: The Syncopated Clock. The way it was scored made it pleasant to hear for a short period of time. The narrow definition for Syncopation is: “a shifting of the normal accent, usually by stressing the normally unaccented beats; the use of rhetorical stress at variance with the metrical stress of a line of verse.” Basically, the normal flow, beat and tempo has been altered and the chords and musical tones become detached from each other.
Allowing an extended application of Musical Syncopation to life, one can readily observe that the normal ebb and flow of life for many has become syncopated at best, and discordant at worst. This Christmas Season is different for many. In one County in Alabama, more than 25% of the people are unemployed and the prospect for those individuals and families is bleak. When industries shut down and have no plan to start back up again – that is dismal and disruptive. As the National unemployment figure moves above 10% (more like 17% if those who have given up looking for employment are included), hope is replaced with despair, and gifts become unaffordable! On top of this syncopation in life, an Associated Press Headline is: “NEW CREDIT CARD HAS 79.9% INTEREST RATE.” The report states: “It's no mistake. This credit card's interest rate is 79.9 percent. The bloated APR is how First Premier Bank, a sub-prime credit card issuer, is skirting new regulations intended to curb abusive practices in the industry…Typically, the First Premier card comes with a minimum of $256 in fees in the first year for a credit line of $250. Starting in February, however, a new law will cap such fees at 25 percent of a card's credit line. In a recent mailing for a pre-approved card, First Premier lowers fees to just that limit -- $75 in the first year for a credit line of $300. But the new law doesn't set a cap on interest rates. Hence the 79.9 APR, up from the previous 9.9 percent. It's the highest on the market. First Premier targets people with bad credit who likely can't get approved for cards elsewhere. It's a group that tends to lean heavily on credit too, meaning they'll likely incur the steep financing charges. So for a $300 balance, a cardholder would pay about $20 a month in interest. In a mailing sent to prospective customers in October with the revamped terms, First Premier writes: "...you might have less-than-perfect credit and we're OK with that." The letter also states there are no hidden fees that aren't disclosed in the attached form. That's where the 79.9 percent interest rate and $75 annual fee are listed. There's also $29 penalty if you pay late or go over your $300 credit limit.”
Some desperate people may accept that risk and pay those fees – just to have something special for Christmas. Admittedly, this nation is far from being a Theocracy. However, God’s Rules and Principles for those who are coping with a Syncopated Life are applicable – especially with this new approach of sub-prime lending. In Exodus 22:22-27 is a Biblical Law about Usury: “You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child…If you lend money to any of My people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.” A summary regarding Usury is given in Proverbs 28:8, “Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.” Another interesting statement is made in Ezekiel 22:12-13, “…they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; but Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD. Behold, I strike My hand at the dishonest gain that you have made…” In whatever way we can, try to look kindly on those whose Syncopated Lives leave them vulnerable, helpless and hopeless. Try to make a difference in the name of the God Who gave us His Only-Begotten Son one Christmas many years ago. Consider these things with me!
No comments:
Post a Comment