Is Capitalism "The" Christian Economy?

 

There has been much written about threats to the United States.  When I was a boy, the Soviet Union and the communist threat there was thought to be the biggest danger to life as we know it.  Now, some are more worried about China, but from an economic standpoint, it seems that many believe that there are horrible things waiting for the United States as it hurries down a path leading to “Socialism.” 

Inherent in all of these discussions is the basic belief that Capitalism and the Free-Market Economy are Biblical.  Any country that strays too far off of this path of rectitude is headed for disaster. 

I like capitalism. I don't like paying high levels of taxes which seem inherently a part of instituting socialism, but that says more about me than what the Bible says about what sort of economic theory should influence how churches function in society.

I wonder if people who feel strongest about capitalism understand what the economy was like in Bible times and what God commanded for the state of Israel. 

People Didn’t Have Money in Ancient Israel 

 It may be surprising to some, but the first coins weren’t minted until around 600 years before the time of Christ.  Those coins were made in the Kingdom of Lydia in what is modern day Turkey. 

 Prior to that time, when people paid for something in silver or gold, they did so based on the weight of the silver or gold.  So, a silver shekel was a lump of silver weighing around 9.6 grams. 

 The common people who lived in ancient Palestine were very poor.  They didn’t have lumps of silver lying around and so most business was done via bartering.  Crops, produce, and livestock were the “money” of the day. 

 Even the wealthy farmers did not have an overabundance of silver and gold and since the Palestine area is prone to droughts, it was not unusual to have years where the land simply didn’t produce.  Stories like the one in the beginning of the book of Ruth, tell of a farmer who had to emigrate, simply for the possibility that he could support his family better in Moab, where it was rumored that there was a little more rainfall. 

 With this in mind, it is hard to compare Israel in the times of Joshua or even King David to our modern economies.  It was probably more like rural Africa, than the modern United States.  More than that, the people were asked to do things by God, not because they were wealthy, but because they were His people and wanted to serve Him.  When they gave, it was not out of abundance, but out of need, with hearts of love. 

 Tithing was Required 

 In the Old Testament times all the people were to tithe from what their crops produced.  While we think of a tithe as being ten percent, the Israelites were expected to give a little more than 20 percent of their income. 

 These tithes went to support the Levites, to provide a social net for the poor, and to help with the yearly feasts. 

As mentioned before, most of the Jewish people were quite poor by today’s standards.  They were scratching out a living, from their land.   

 Lest we think that they had no taxes, their rulers also expected them pay a chunk of their income in taxes to the crown – and often there was a foreign kingdom, like Assyria, Babylon, or Persia, that also required tribute. 

 The Israelites weren’t always faithful with paying these tithes, but God stated firmly that tithing was important to Him and that judgment would come for those who did not pay them (Mal 3:8,9).   

 The Jews had Slaves 

 Slavery was codified in the Old Testament law.  It seems, based on these laws, that servanthood typically happened when Israelites became poor enough that they were unable to pay their debts.  We probably can’t imagine it, as today people just declare bankruptcy, but there was no other path for the ancient Jews to be free of their debts. 

 Once again, this is very different from modern societies.  As mandated by Old Testament laws, slaves needed to be given the Sabbath Day as a day of rest and if a slave was harmed in a significant way, he was to be granted his freedom.  More than this, slavery was to be temporary – lasting only six years at the end of which time, not only was the slave to be freed, but the master was to give the slave resources to help him have a new start again (Deuteronomy 15:13-14). 

 This was very different from the type of slavery practiced in the rest of the world at that time.  It also seems that the Israelites did not obey these laws very well and this (among other things) was a reason for the Babylonian Captivity (Jeremiah 34:8-24). 

 By bringing this up, I do not mean to say that I think either that slavery is good or that was beneficial. I simply want us to understand a little bit of how their economy was supposed to function.

 Jews Weren’t to Charge Interest 

 The Old Testament law was very clear regarding the charging of interest.  The Jews weren’t to charge interest on any loans to other Jews (they could charge on loans to non-Jewish people).  Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy all had specific rules against charging interest and even rules about what assets could be used to secure loans. 

The Prophet Ezekiel spoke of charging interest as an “abomination” and something that was worthy of death (Ezekiel 18:13). 

 Part of the issue was that most Jews took out loans due to their poverty and lacked the resources to survive without such a loan.  This loan might be the last step before having to sell one’s self or one’s family into slavery.  The Israelites were not to take advantage of such a person.  They were to loan money to help such a person, not to push them into bankruptcy (slavery). 

 It wasn't that people hadn't figured out the concept of interest in ancient economies. Most ancient societies did charge interest – usually 15 or 20 percent.  The fact that the Jews did not charge interest meant that God wanted something different for the people that was called by His name. 

 Certainly, our society would look pretty different if interest wasn’t charged or if it was capped at certain levels.   

 Debts Were Temporary 

 Under the Deuteronomic Law, debts were to be cancelled at the end of seven years. (Deut. 15:1-3)  Once again, this allowed the poor to achieve a “reset” of sorts.  It wasn’t that at the end of seven years they suddenly became wealthy, but at least they no longer had debts hanging over their heads and they would get their freedom back, if they were forced to sell themselves into slavery. 

 I find this interesting, in light of current discussions about college debt.  Many seem to think that “you borrowed it, you pay it” is the policy that is in order and of course, in a capitalistic society, barring bankruptcy, that is what happens.  Maybe God did not see this as the ideal situation for His chosen people.  Maybe, He saw true capitalism as having too much potential for oppressing the poor. 

 Changes in the Early Church

 Jesus came long after the Jewish Kingdom had been conquered.  Except for a brief time, during the Hasmonean period, a long list of foreign rulers dominated Jewish politics.  Jesus still had much to say about finances. 

 In Matthew 5:42, He told His disciples to give to the needy and not refuse those who wished to borrow.  Matthew 6:1-3 indicates that His followers should give secretly, whenever possible and Luke 6:38 indicates that God’s rewards for giving will be in proportion to the gift. 

 Regarding amounts of tithing, it is no longer specified.  Maybe it seems like ten percent is a reasonable amount, but I Corinthians 16:2 says only that each is to give as the Lord has prospered him.   

 On the subject of accumulation of wealth, Jesus told a parable in Luke 12 of a man who had an exceptionally good harvest and decided that he would save all his money and retire.  Jesus finished the parable saying that the man never lived to see his retirement but received divine judgment.  God told Him, “Fool!  This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?”  Jesus finished with this statement as a way of explanation, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” 

 If this wasn’t enough, when we read about the early church in the book of Acts, we see a strong tendency towards communalism (not communism).  People helped each other in every way possible.  Acts 2:44, 45 says that the early church had “all things in common” and that “they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men, as every man had need.” 

 This brings us up to the present.  We live in societies that have some mixture of capitalism and socialism.  Other than some small groups, Christians aren’t interested in communalism.  At least in North America, many of them seem to be very much against communism and pro-capitalism. 

 The real question is how Christians honor God within the society we find ourselves.  We won’t change the style of economy of our country, but we should be able to serve God – wherever we happen to live. 

 Capitalism Isn’t a God Thing 

 For some reason, many Christians have gotten fixated on the idea that God blesses in capitalistic societies and in none other.  They are ardently against socialism, welfare, and government supplied health care. 

 Nowhere in the Bible does it say anything about capitalism.  Clearly, as was mentioned earlier, the Jewish theocracy wasn’t a capitalist society and God didn’t intend it to be such. 

 I would say that if we simply got rid of interest payments and had debt forgiveness every seven years, our society would look quite different from the way it does now. 

 I will add that the reason why the government in many countries got involved with taking care of poor people and providing healthcare is that the church wasn’t fulfilling its mission.  There are too many of us Christians who are good at accumulating wealth (we have excellent work ethic and good stewardship skills), but not much skill at using that wealth for caring for those in need around us. 

 If there is a New Testament economic theory, it would be love based ministry. 

 Wealth is not a Sign of Divine Favor 

 In the Old Testament era, many times God revealed His blessing on individuals.  We see in the lives of Solomon and Job that God gave wealth to men who served Him.  On the other hand, the story of Job revealed that the loss of wealth doesn’t always point to divine judgment on a sinful life. 

 In the New Testament, it seems that poverty among the Followers of Jesus was more the rule than the exception.  Jesus had no permanent dwelling place and when it came time to pay the temple tax, it took a miraculous event to provide the coin necessary for that tax. 

 “God sends His rain on the just and on the unjust,” Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount.  Quite simply, it is impossible to judge someone’s relationship with God by the amount of money they have in the bank. 

 Capitalism Can Be Dangerous 

 “Greed is good,” so goes the mantra of a materialistic age.  Many times, capitalism allows Followers of Jesus to make a lot of money.  They work hard and rise in their companies due to their honesty and virtue.  Just like Joseph in Egypt, they become trusted, important parts of the businesses they work in. 

 The problems with capitalism are two-fold.  First, focusing too much on work is not healthy and could detract from a good relationship with God.  If we spend the majority of our time getting good at business, we will achieve that goal, but maybe other parts of our lives will suffer.  There are many successful businessmen who are poor husbands and Christians. 

 Second, wealth is apparently detrimental to being a Follower of Jesus.  Jesus said that it was harder for a a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.  Paul, in I Timothy 6:17-19 told Timothy to warn his people that riches were dangerous and that wealthy people need to focus themselves on using their wealth to help others. 

 Societies where the government takes most of what people earn or where it is simply hard for Christians to get ahead financially do not offer the same temptations that our materialistic society does.   

It is wonderful to have opportunity.  It is awful when that opportunity distracts us from what our real goal is, glorifying God. 

 Applying Biblical Principles 

 All of this leaves us with a big question.  How do we put these sorts of things into practice in our lives and businesses?  Should a Christian businessman charge interest?  Should he forgive loans where people can’t pay? 

 There are not easy answers to these questions.  For much of church history, it was illegal to charge interest on loans given to other Christians.  The First Council of Nicaea (AD 325) forbade clergy from collecting interest on loans.  The Third Council of Lateran broadened this to say that no one who charged interest on loans could receive sacraments or a Christian burial.  This remained the Catholic church’s official policy until the 16^th century. 

 I have a hard time applying laws that come from the Old Testament theocracy to our present day, but certainly the principles remain.  The Apostles didn’t restate these laws against interest and in favor of debt forgiveness, but then again, for the most part they were writing letters to poor people who were more likely to be asking for loans, than giving them to others. 

 There are some very big principles that we can see in both the Old Covenant laws and in the early church. 

 Love is More Important than Wealth 

 Jesus said that His followers would be known for one thing.  It wasn’t their big churches, their sharp business practices, their phenomenal work ethic, their amazing potlucks, or even their praise and worship team.  People would know Christians by their love for one another (John 13:35). 

 It appears this has been forgotten.  There should not be members of Christian churches who need to question where their next meal will come from.  There should not be Christian widows who wonder if they will have a place to live this time next year.   

 James says, “Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” 

 That’s it.  Showing love to the needy and living a morally upright life is what glorifies God.  If we come to the end of our lives and have many material things to pass on to our families, but we have not ministered to those in need along the way, then we have missed out on our true calling. 

 No One Should be Impoverished Because of Our Business Methods 

 We can’t take responsibility for other people’s poor choices, but the way we do business should not be forcing others into bankruptcy.   

 Perhaps this starts with the way in which Christian employers treat their workers.  Figuring out what is an appropriate level of pay and benefits to provide for workers is important.  Obviously, funds are limited, and small businesses have to be able to at least break even in order to survive but seeing workers do well is more important than becoming wealthy. 

 More than that, as businesses deal with customers, it seems that charging higher rates of interest because that’s the market rate, or moving to foreclose on someone who is struggling, but trying, is not a Christian way of dealing with this.  Honesty and mercy should be things that we are known for – not for cutting the hardest deal around. 

 Government Involvement Doesn’t Take Away Our Responsibility 

 In many societies, the government offers a variety of services.  These could be things like subsidized health care or food assistance.  There are still many needs that the government doesn’t meet that Christians should help meet. 

 Poor people need help with transportation and getting healthy food.  They often grew up with poor role models and need men and women who are willing to step in and take the time to be a mentor, teaching and modelling skills and behaviors that will help them to improve both their lives and the lives of their children.  There are many other things that these individuals need that no government agency can help with and Christians can try to meet these needs, as well. 

 It seems to me that many Christian people are good at giving money to Crisis Pregnancy Centers but aren’t so good at giving their time and talents to make a difference.  We can do better. 

 Christians Must Serve God in Any Economic System 

 I like the (somewhat) capitalistic system that we have in the United States, but it is also the only one that I have really known.  I would argue that the US doesn't even have "true" capitalism, because the government taxes its citizens to fund roads, schools, and some degree of subsidy for the health care of older citizens and poor citizens.

Knowing what I know about human nature, it doesn’t matter what economic system we live in, there will be challenges when it comes to serving God within that system.

 Maybe the challenges will simply be the desire for material things and the conflict that results when we need to decide if we will buy something for ourselves or minister to the need of someone else.  Maybe the challenge will be in our need for personal security and the conflict that results when feel like we don’t have enough money in the bank to really feel secure and yet, there are needs around us. 

 In a communistic society (there aren’t many true communistic economies left on earth), there is a challenge of how to meet the needs of others when you simply don’t have enough yourself.  In such a scenario, you probably end up giving time, abilities, and effort to others, because you don’t have anything else to give. 

 What is certain is that Satan will try to do whatever he can to keep Christians from glorifying God and ministering to the needs of those around them.  He will get us to rationalize away reasons that we should help others and get us to be self-focused and self-absorbed. 

 Some things have changed since Old Testament times, but God’s expectations of His people hasn’t changed.  He sent them into captivity because of their oppression of the poor and today, He tells us the same thing. 

“What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8) 

 I pray that we could do better.  That the church, as a whole and us as individuals within it, would act with justice, humility, and mercy all our days.  For that, is what the Lord requires of us. 

And let it begin with me.

 

 

The Parable of the Capitals

  

One fine Saturday noontide, the Waldrons sat down to eat a fine Luncheon of Leftovers.  As is their wont, the younger Waldrons fell to discussing the vast Hours of Knowledge which they have accumulated from their Adventures in Edu-ma-cation.

For some reason, we fell to discussing State Capitals.  This subject seemeth to the learned mind to be the pinnacle of knowledge.  Also, it changeth not since I was in school, whereas on information like New Math, I am likely to be well Out of Date.

With this in mind, I began to quiz my progeny on the capitals of a variety of states.  While some seem to live perpetually in a State of Confusion, I chose not to bring this up or mention it.

At last I came to a Doozy.

“What is the Capital of Missouri?”  I queried.

“Even I know that one!”  Anna chortled.

I was surprised.  To this point, she had gone one for five on identifying capital cities.  “What is it?”  I asked her.

“St. Louis!”  She quoth triumphantly.

“Ha, ha!”  Elliot said.  “It isn’t anything of the sort.  If thou wouldest be wise, then thous must have more knowledge than that.”

“What is it then, Elliot?”

“Des Moines?”  Elliot said, pronouncing both of the eses in the name.

“That’s the capital of Iowa,” Vincent said.

Suddenly, I found my children’s eyes focused on me.  “Well, Dad,”  Elliot sayeth.  “Dost thou know what is the Capital of Missouri?”

I realized in this moment, with a sinking feeling that I couldn’t remember it either.  Not Joplin.  Not Columbia.  “Springfield?”  I hazarded in a voice that was far from certain.

“That’s the capital of Illinois,” Vincent said helpfully.

My beautiful wife snorted.  “Hardly,” she said.  “It’s Jefferson City.”

And with that, the great State Capital quiz of 2022 came to an end.

This amusing occurrence speaketh to me of Pride.  There are few persons more dangerous – both to themselves and to other people – then those who know all.

Of course, the issue is that few of us know nearly as much as we think we do.  We float along through life, blithely amused at the mistakes of others, even as we are unsteadily teetering on the Precipice of Ignorance.

The words of the Apostle Paul ring across the centuries.  “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

For those who stand highest in their own estimation fall the hardest – even if it is only in a quiz of state capitals.

The Junkyard Lily

 

The House of Waldron maketh many bags of refuse every week.  It so passed that one Saturday, I loaded these sacks of garbage into the rear of my chariot and drove it, post-haste, to the Garbage Transfer Station.

Now, I have heard tales of mythical lands in which conveyances pass through the land collecting Garbage.  Whether these tales be true or no, in my land, if I did not carry mu trash to the dump, it would stay within my home and that, my friends, would be a Smelly Proposition.

As I whipped up my horse to turn into the trash collection area, I saw once more the typical scene.  On one side standeth a trash compactor.  Nearby, there is a tiny house and a port-a-john.  Around all of this lies a fence -- I suppose that someone may not steal trash After Hours.

Between the appearance of the trash and its smell, this site is not on any bucket list, or the list of Top Tourist Destinations (I have checked).  It works for its purpose and that's about all you can say about it.

On this particular journey, I noticed the typical drab appearance.  Then, my eyes saw that a single, yellow lily was blooming at the edge of the property, near the fence.

In that moment, my heart lifted a little bit.  My mind was drawn to contemplate the subject of Beauty rather than Garbage.

It is the Way of the World to drag out spirits downward.  Seeing the devastation around us, the anger on Social Media, and the Cultural Chaos that abounds, it is easy to descend into darkness.

While we cannot control the darkness of the world around us, we can reflect a ray of light.  Perhaps we can be the reason that someone's heart is warmed, which had gone Ice Cold.

Blooming, like a lily in junk yard.

Unexpected Bliss

 

One day, it came into my heart to go forth and take photos the following morning.  With this idea firmly planted in my mind, I made ready my chariot, and prepared my image boxes.  Silver halide plates being in short supply, I made do with something called a Digital Camera.

Last of all, I studied the stars and planets and in consultation with Google, found that the sun would arise at 5:59 am, give or take 45 seconds.  Thus I went to bed feeling prepared for my Final Assault on the summit.

I arose early the following morning, as was my wont.  I set a device called a GPS to direct me to a location where I felt certain the sun would not only rise, but I would be able to capture a Good Image of it doing so.

I went, not really paying attention to path wither I went.  Lo, it came to pass that eventually my GPS said, "You have arrived," but when I peered from the windows of my carriage, I saw not the sights I had expected to see.  Though I was not Nowhere, the Somewhere where I was happened to be in the middle of a housing development.  Somewhat like Yankee Doodle, I would not see the sun come up, there were so many houses.

It was with a sad heart that I made my way towards my home.  It was an early morning wasted and all because technology had led me astray.

On my way back to my place of abode, I came around a corner to see a beautiful spot where the rising sun radiated through the mist.  A little while later I saw another Promising Spot and once again, I paused to capture a few photos.

When I arrived back at my dwelling place, I had different photos than I had expected, but I was still pleased.

I pondered the experience I had on my early morning jaunt.  Many have been the times that the Journey of Life did not grant me the blessings that I was expecting and yet, I received other, unexpected blessings along my way.  Perchance, if I was honest, the Unexpected Blessings were better than those I had planned to receive.

Solomon said, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding and He shall direct thy paths."

Trusting means allow our Heavenly Father to guide our paths.  So often when we do so, He turneth expected blessing into unexpected bliss.  For, He will turn the Greatest Darkness into a stabbing, joy-filled Light.

That is just the kind of God He is.

Home Made Pop Tarts?

 

One day, it transpired that as I scrolled through Facebook, I came upon a recipe for Home Made Pop Tarts.  I studied the recipe with much care.  Within the safety of my home, I have "cooked" Pop Tarts and it seemed to me that there wasn't explanation needed -- only a toaster.

This recipe was different and seemed to be a not-so-ancient attempt to mimic a breakfast "food" that is available at most grocery stores.  I noted in my studies that it seemed to involve multiple steps and much effort.  The preparation time, as indicated by the recipe was roughly three and a half hours.

Mayhap the designer of this recipe did not truly understand the allure of the mystical entree of the breakfast table, the Pop Tart.  It is within the Realm of Possibility that this great chef did not comprehend that the whole purpose of Pop Tarts can be summed up in one word:  Speedy.

I am More than Certain that if it took three and a half hours to prepare a Pop Tart, even though one got the same artificial blueberry or cherry cough syrup flavors, fewer people would eat them.  For the question that arises most often with a meal is not what is healthy, but rather what we have time for.  Nine out of ten times quick beats healthy.

As I pondered on this subject, I came to the realization that one quality that is lacking in our society is Patience.  There is a veritable Horde of people who would rather eat fast garbage than to take the time to prepare something truly Worth Eating.

I make a feeble attempt to raise vegetables in a garden plot.  If there is one thing that takes time and requires patience, it is the process of raising food in a garden.  I planted my tomato plants from seed three months ago and it still will be two or three weeks before I begin to see red fruits on those vines.

It would be wise for us to attempt things that require patience.  There are many things that have great worth -- enough that taking time and effort and patience to bring them to pass is worthwhile.

Of course, not everything is worth investing the time in either.  I know that when we get our first tomatoes and green beans, the time I have invested in our garden will be worth it.

I'm not so sure about the investment of three and a half hours in making Home Made Pop Tarts...

Crowds and Cold Weather

 

One day, around the time of the Eastertide, the Waldrons of Campbell County, Virginia entered their minivan and embarked for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  For, they had heard rumors that Daniel Boone had found somewhere thereabouts, a pass through the mountains into the land beyond. 

While there, they saw neither Hide nor Hair of Mr. Boone (although they did spend time in a county named after him).  They saw plenty of Other Folk though.

For one day, while there, they went to the Zoological Garden of Cincinnati.  It was a lovely day and they found there over 100,000 Tulips blooming in various shades of the rainbow.  If they were not at their Prime Beauty, they were awfully close.

As they passed through and saw Meerkats and Giraffes, Gorillas and Malaysian Tigers, the father of the family's melancholic spirit raised its head.  “This would a lot more enjoyable without all these people,” he thought morosely.  For, in some places the family found it hard to navigate due to the Press of People.

The next day dawned chilly and windy, with a temperature of 7 degrees Celsius.  (Most temperatures sound colder when stated in Celsius -- beyond which scientists for some reason use the scale.)  On this day, they made their way to the Ark Encounter.  Whether it was because of the weather, or because they had heard that a grumpy man was going to be in attendance, there were not many people there.

Still, the father's melancholic spirit spoke up.  For, it told him that it should have been Sunny and Seventy Degrees, just as had it had been the day before.  Truly, it was a cold and dreary day.

At perhaps this point, or mayhap a bit after, he realized that the problem was not the crowds or the weather.  The issue was inside of him.

I contemplated the plight of this father.  He has much in common with me and whilst I am Upbeat at times, there have been a plenitude of moments where I could only see the Dark Cloud, even though the Silver Lining was two miles wide.

Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatsoever ye do in word, or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.”

Discouragement comes when I focus on the negative things, while gratitude comes when I realize that I am blessed by God, regardless of the temperature.

As a child of God, I am blessed every day – even if one day I end up at the zoo on a cold, rainy day that was also Really Crowded.

Feeding the Five Thousand

 

“Art thou certain?”  I whispered to the fair maiden who was sitting beside me.

“Yes, Honey,” Elaine replied with a knowledgeable tone in her voice.

“I have attempted to number the people in church this morning,” I whispered a little louder.  “And even after removing my shoes and stockings it is more than I can count.  I am afeared that there is not sufficient food for such a multitude,” I finished in a slightly anguished voice.

My wife remained serene.  “We have plenty of repast for all of these and more besides,” she told me flatly.  “Stop thy worrying!”

I remember well that Sunday, for we were one of the families responsible for the "Luck of the Pots."  I found the whole experience Nerve Wracking.  For what if it came time to open the line of food and three Professional Wrestlers with voracious appetites had come to visit and as visitors, they went through the line first.  Perhaps women and children would go hungry.  Perhaps they would Starve.

Fortunately, as usual, my bride was right.  There were no wrestlers and there was plenty of food.

Within the Gospels is found a story about Jesus and a group of 5,000 hungry people.

Of course, the reasonable thing to do in such a situation (and the one that I would have done) would have been to send the people away to the nearest McDonald’s to deal with their hunger.  Perhaps as a backup plan, Jesus could have turned local stones into bread.

Jesus did neither of these things.

Instead, Jesus was presented with five loaves and three fish that a boy had brought with him.  With that coarse bread and dried fish, he proceeded to feed the multitude.

God hath no limitation.  He can do all things without the meager help that humans can offer.  One who can Create the world from Nothing needeth nothing from frail Children of Dust.

Despite this, He chooseth Two-Legged fallible humans to perform His will.  Sometimes He hath chosen someone like me to do a task.  I look at it and wonder, just as the five loves might have, how I can accomplish such a task.  Surely, God Almighty would be wise to use someone more talented and courageous.

The miracle is not that Jesus fed 5,000 people.  The miracle was that Jesus chose to use the offering of a small boy to meet that need.  It is told that not only was that gift sufficient for the need, there was Plenty Left Over.

This is not to say that we will feel strong enough for every situation, but we need not despair.  God has chosen us and He will give us the Ability to meet His purposes, if we are willing.

Even a purpose as crazy as feeding Professional Wrestlers with a tiny bowl of soup.

Presidential Biographies

 

It came to pass one day that my second born child perceived an interest in Presidential biographies.  He discovered that, along with many copies of Joel Osteen’s Classic Tome “Your Best Life Now!”, one can find a variety of Biographies for Very Little Hard Currency in various thrift stores.

So it was that our family procured a copy of Jimmy Carter’s Presidential Diary and also an autobiographical treatise of George W. Bush.  Certainly our family is not a clan with strong political views, but Vincent is a reader of voracious appetite.

“Didst Thou enjoy yon book?”  I question Vincent, indicating one of the aforementioned books.

“I think so, Dad,” Vincent responded, for truth to tell, he is often averse to stating clearly his likes for something.  He proceeded to regale me with a breakdown of what transpired during the Camp David Peace Accords.  I was much impressed.

“Wouldst Thou repeat history?”  I asked him.

“Only the good parts,” he responded seriously.  “For Dad, while there have been many sad days in History, there have been many Blessed Ones too.  It dost not seem a bad thing to read to understand how those Good Days came to pass.”

“Oh, my son,” I said.  “It comes to me that I would write a biography of Lyndon Johnson’s limousine.  Wouldst Thou read such a book?”

“Perhaps I might,” he said.  “At least if it were a Page Turner.  But why wouldst thou write such a book, for up till now thou hast not expressed interest in either cars or presidents.”

“Well, my son,” I said.  “It seems to me that this is a way to write a Presidential Auto Biography without ever visiting the Iowa Caucuses and while it might be interesting to write such a book, visiting Iowa during the Caucases is Another Story."

I thought on this subject a great deal.  It seemed to me that my son Vincent was right.  For historians are much focused on the Mistakes of the Past, but perhaps it were better to focus on the positives.

For, if life was only composed of a list of mistakes that it would be well to avoid, it seems likely that little could ever be accomplished for fear of falling into one of these pitfalls.

I thought me of a verse from Proverbs which tells, “For a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again…” (Prov. 24:16).

Everyone has times when they err, but let that not be a reason remain immobile.  Pencils are manufactured with both erasers and lead.  After we have erased an error, we may, with our Father’s help, begin again.

There are good things to learn from every life, even from the lives of former Presidents.

Chapstick?

 

In the House of Waldron at times there transpire odd conversations.  I record these conversations almost as they occur, but with perhaps some editing for the Readers at Home.

So it was that as I was standing, mouse-like in my bedroom, I overheard my wife speaking to our youngest daughter.  “Elise,” Elaine said.  “What has thou on thy face and lips?  For behold, Thou art Greatly Sticky and yet, Thou hast not the appearance of one who has been eating frosting – nor is there any Frosting in the house, for that matter.”

My fair daughter made no reply, but only a little while later I beheld her carrying a stick of something which is frequently found in the desks of Elementary School Children – a Glue Stick.  As I beheld Fair Elise, she made much effort and succeeded in freeing the cap from the Glue Stick.  Thereupon she began to smear the glue on her lips and surrounding face.

“Elise!”  I said, in a voice of much surprise.  “Thou must not smear glue over Thy face!  It is not made to be used thus!”

Elise gazed at her father without comprehension.  “Elise wants to use Chapstick!”  She stated firmly.

Being a most excellent father, I removed the Glue Stick to Parts Unknown for safe keeping.  For, while the Glue of Elmer is not toxic, it is not intended for Dermatologic Use either.

I pondered on my daughter’s use of glue in place of Chapstick.  It seemeth unlikely to be a fad that will catch on.  For though young people seem to enjoy locking lips with their favorite someone, they might not enjoy staying in such a position Long Term.

There are plenty of things in this world that are excellent in their place, but not so great out of it.  Pepper is a wondrous seasoning for meat, but not so good in the Tapioca at the Home for Retired Farmers.  Turpentine is amazing as pain thinner, but Not So Great as a cure for acne.

Even so, there are many good things that if used in the wrong place cease to be virtues.  It seemeth that one who claims to be displaying patience while watching a home burn down, would be wiser to make use of a telephone with much speediness.  The number 911 takes little time to dial and Availeth Much.

It seems as though many decide that they are good at one Virtue and use it in all situations -- whether it applies or not.  Perhaps that virtue is Love, or mayhap it is Honesty, or even Diligence.  It would be better to have more than one tool in thy tool bag.

For, he who only owns a hammer will do much damage to the furniture, even as he is trying to fix things that need a screw driver and a little finesse.

Perhaps the hard part with Christian virtues is to know which one to use and when.  The one who loveth greatly must also have a sense of Justice.  Knowing which one of these attributes to use in a given situation is crucial, just as my daughter would do well to know when to use Chapstick and when to use Elmer’s Phenomenal Glue Stick. 

Ambidextrous?

 

Within the city limits of the metropolis of Brookneal, there is a building wherein I ply my trade as a Medicine Man to the city and country folk who live Thereabouts.  The clinic is not very big, but we stay Almighty Busy most of the time.

Now, at this Office of Medicine, we firmly believe in the germ theory of infection.  With this theory in mind, we wash hands, apply anti-bacterial gels, and even with some procedures, wear protective devices on our hands that some call Gloves.

It came to pass that one day, my nurse opened a new box of these Nitrile Gauntlets.  I saw written in bold letters open the box that these gloves were "Ambidextrous."

Now, the term Ambidextrous carries with it different meanings.  To me, when I hear this word, I conjure an image of a masked man saying, "You are probably wondering why I am smiling.  Well, you see, I'm not Left Handed!"

I wondered in my heart if these new gloves conferred upon their wearers the magical ability to do things with their left hands that they could formerly only do with their right hands (or the reverse, as the case might be).

I decided for scientific purposes, to see how well this power might work, although not trusting it totally, I refrained from a true test, such as juggling scimitars or timing myself defusing a nuclear warhead one handed.  Instead, while wearing the gloves, I attempted to write my name with both hands.

This stunning conclusion came into view:  while the gloves might be Ambidextrous, I certainly was not.

I thought on this for some time.  It was disappointing to be sure, but since these gloves still protected their wearers from bacteria, it probably was no Big Deal.  

I thought more about the meaning of this Experience.  For, there are boxes wherein are supposed to be found Followers of Jesus, namely a Church Box.  While the church sign says one thing, the fruit of some of those found within tells a Different Story.

It is not the act of spending a few hours a week wearing gloves from a "Church Box" that makes one a Follower of Jesus.  It is when we focus ourselves on Him and seek to deny ourselves and bear our crosses that we truly become His Disciple.

Nothing less is sufficient to be a Follower of the Way, just like wearing the right gloves will not magically make a One-Handed Man Ambidextrous.

Hindsight is 20/20 -- Lessons From Our Response to COVID-19

 

It is a little over two years since COVID first made landfall in the United States.  For quite a good chunk of that time I was writing a weekly update -- trying to let people know both the severity of what was going on and at the same time, trying to provide people with a little bit of hope as we journeyed through the Forest of the Unknown.

It was a stressful time for us all.  There were times when COVID cases were through the roof and other times when it seemed that it was almost gone.

It is time to take a little stock of the last two years and understand where we did well and where we could have done better -- this specifically from the United States perspective.  This is not so much for continued response to COVID (although it is still around), but rather to understand a little better how we can improve if and when there is another pandemic.

Eventually we will see a new virus show up that we haven't dealt with before.  Hopefully we have learned some things to be able to handle that infection with fewer deaths.

Pandemics Take Time

My point of reference for COVID was influenza.  Every year that I have been a physician we have dealt with a flu season.  Some time between December and January we would see our first cases and then over the next three to four weeks we would be overwhelmed with influenza.  Local ERs would have really long waits and then it would pass.  We might get another wave later in the season, but by the end of March flu would be done till next season.

COVID was something different.  I remember looking at the IHME web site and seeing tracking data and predictions for the rest of the year.   I hoped that by mid-summer, certainly by August, the worst would be behind us.  It turned out that I was wrong.  It was going to be all of two years before our numbers truly began to decline.

With all of this in mind, the whole "flatten the curve" concept burned out with people.  If more had been done at the beginning to prepare people for the concept that they were looking at a minimum of one year of dealing with COVID, perhaps it would have helped.

When you are dealing with a brand new virus, you need to buckle up for a long haul.

Comparisons to Influenza Weren't Useful

Influenza is a virus that spreads around every winter.  It made sense that we would compare COVID to influenza.  Scientists would say that COVID is three times more contagious than influenza or four times more deadly than influenza.

I think the problem is two-fold.  First, many people use the term "flu" interchangeably with the word virus.  These comparisons often made it sound like COVID was a bad version of the common cold.  Beyond, which, familiarity doesn't really mean that you understand how severe or contagious an infection really is.  If you don't really know how contagious influenza is, knowing that a different virus is twice as contagious isn't very helpful.  Second, these comparisons missed the "novel" aspect of COVID.  Unlike influenza, which is only contracted by 5 to 10 percent of the population in a given season, most people ended up getting COVID -- many got it several times.

Statements like:  "5 percent of people who get COVID end up in the hospital," or "People with COVID typically transmit it to 5 other people" are more helpful than saying, "COVID is 2.5 times worse than flu at causing death."

In the future, it would probably be best to take a new virus on its own, without these sorts of comparisons.

Speculation is Bad

Early in the pandemic there was a great lack of information.  Everyone wanted to know all of the details.  What was the best treatment?  What should you do to prevent catching COVID?  How bad was it really?

Probably the best thing to do in the absence of solid information is to simply say "I don't know," but that seems to be a hard thing to say.  A lot of conflicting recommendations from early in the pandemic came because doctors were making recommendations without solid data.

The problem is that later on those statements ended up harming the confidence that people had in the experts who made these recommendations.  I heard this all of the time with regard to masking.  Dr. Fauci said initially that you couldn't transmit COVID if you didn't have symptoms and now he is saying something different.  Why should he be trusted at all?

I think we all understand that you can share something in good faith and find out later that it is wrong.  Any recommendations that are not based on facts could end up being wrong.

It may feel reassuring to hear someone making statements with a tone that makes them sound certain of what they are sharing, but at a minimum, it is very important for scientists and doctors to say clearly when they don't know something and are simply speculating.

Another issue is that people spreading disinformation speak with as much confidence as those who are attempting to speak truth.  Both sides try to speak with authority about things which are completely uncertain.

Caution may not sell many books or generate many You Tube hits, but it is the wisest course when discussing a brand new illness.

Studies are Important

There have been a number of miracle cures for COVID that have been mentioned over the last couple of years.  Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin are two medications that have been administered quite widely to patients with COVID.  I have read many accounts of doctors claiming really high success rates in using these sorts of medications in treating COVID patients.  

The problem is, of course, that most people with COVID do get better -- probably around 99.4 percent of people who got COVID survived prior to antivirals and monoclonal antibodies.  The question is if more get better if they take 'x' medication.  The only way to know for sure is to take two groups of people who are similar in age and risk factors and give half of them a medication and half of them a placebo and see if the people getting the medication improve at a higher or faster rate than the people who didn't get it.

When this was done with ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, there was no difference seen in the two groups.  Those medicines weren't harmful, but they didn't help either.

I think the number one thing I would like to see in a future pandemic is that rather than blindly giving out medicines that might or might not work, enroll patients in well-designed trials with medications that make sense and figure out what really helps.  This was done in the Oxford Recovery Trial and the Together Trial -- we should be able to do even more in the future.

It is not enough to prescribe medications that "might" work.  We need to know what really does work and at what dosage.  That requires studies.

Public Health Policies Are Crucial Early On

It takes time to develop antiviral medications.  It takes time to develop new vaccines and get them tested.  Maybe there is some existing medication that can be re-purposed to treat the new virus, but even there, it takes time to figure out which compounds work and at what dosage.

This is where public health comes in.  Testing, isolating ill people, and even masking all were crucial to getting control of the pandemic.  For whatever reason, many western nations were fairly resistant to a number of these things.  On the other hand, Asian nations did much better.

The United States has had 3,050 deaths per million population.  Japan has had 234 deaths per million, Thailand 405 deaths per million, and Taiwan 36 deaths per million.  This huge difference had to do with the willingness of citizens to wear masks, get tested if they had exposures, and generally listen to what their health department asked them to do.

I will mention here that testing is the only way to really know the scope of the problem.  African countries have pretty low levels of COVID diagnosed, but they don't really test much either and so it is questionable as to whether they know the severity of it (they probably couldn't afford a high level of testing).  Over the last two years, the United States ran 3 tests per member of the population (over 1 billion tests).  In comparison, Ethiopia ran 0.05 tests per member of the population over the same period of time (5 million tests).  It is likely that numbers from some of these countries are meaningless -- they just didn't test enough people to know how many were sick and how many people who died, died from COVID.

I don't know how to fix the general distrust many Americans have of public health, but certainly in future pandemics death tolls will depend on the willingness of citizens to think about others and not simply focus on their liberties.

Public Health mandates are the only way to control a novel virus at the beginning of a pandemic.  We would be wise to listen better next time.

Mutations are the Worst

Viruses "live" by copying themselves millions of times inside their host and then getting transmitted to another organism.  Some viruses, like Measles and Chicken Pox, copy themselves extremely carefully and have very few changes over time.  Some viruses, like Influenza and COVID, have a lot of changes (called mutations).  These changes could make the virus more contagious.  The bigger issue was that they made the virus able to evade previously formed antibodies.

I underestimated significantly how much COVID would mutate.  This was part of the reason that I had hoped that things would be better in five or six months.

Herd Immunity is not a useful concept when you are dealing with a virus that changes significantly over time and when the antibodies formed from vaccines and infections only last for 6 to 12 months.  At the beginning of a pandemic your guess about whether you will see a lot of mutations says a lot more about you and your sense of optimism or pessimism than it says anything about the virus.

It is best to bank on viruses changing through mutations over time.  If they don't, it will be a pleasant surprise.

People on the Internet Don't Admit They're Wrong

I suppose this is true in real life too, but I have read so many false things about COVID, about masks, about the ethics of doctors, and about nurses' poor care of patients with COVID.  I have given up hoping that people will share that they were wrong.

Plenty of people early on shared that COVID wasn't that bad, that H1N1 flu had killed more people than it had, that their local hospitals were empty, and that doctors were faking death certificates.  Probably most people who shared these things still believe them, but I would say that it is really important for those of us who are ethical, to admit when we have been wrong.

On the other side, plenty of people shared that vaccines would last for a couple of years, that they were better than a COVID infection, or that asymptomatic people didn't spread COVID.  Many of these were eventually proved to be inaccurate and it is best to say so clearly and not couch it in vague verbiage.  I believe that people trust someone who is willing to admit when they were wrong.

Honesty does not mean being right all of the time, it simply means telling the truth, even to the point of admitting that you were wrong in the past.

Politics and Medicine Don't Mix

If there is one thing that saddens me, it is the way that the United States' response to COVID became highly politicized.  I don't think it should be that way.

At the same time, when you are dealing with a contagious illness, a person's behavior affects not only them, but their friends, family, and neighbors.  Treating this as a political issue and focusing on individual liberties lost sight of the important need for caring for the elderly and frail among us.

Once again, I don't have solutions, but I would hope if there is another pandemic in my lifetime, that people will think of others more than they have with COVID.

Politicians aren't scientists, but they definitely affect citizen's willingness to buy into health officials recommendations.

Christians Need to Listen Better

Throughout the years there have been different plagues that have swept through lands and peoples.  In the Roman Empire there was the Plague of Cyprian and the Antonine Plague.  Later, there was Black Death.  In each of these, true Christians exemplified the love of Christ by ministering to the sick and dying people, even though it often cost them their lives.

Somehow COVID was different.  Many Christians were so focused on downplaying the seriousness of COVID and complaining about the stupidity of the people in charge that they didn't minister to people's needs.

Beyond which, they didn't listen to the messages that the frail among us were saying.  At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if wearing a mask helps or not, if it makes someone else feel heard and protected then Christians should be first in line to do that.  

Jesus said that His followers were to be known, not for their liberty, vibrant worship, or fearlessness.  He said they were to be known for their love.  We can and should love better.

There are probably other lessons that can be learned.  Certainly, I hope there is more personal protective equipment stock piled (no one should have to wear the same surgical mask two or three days in a row).  I hope that we have more tools to come up with antiviral agents and vaccines more rapidly.

The number one thing I have learned through this experience is that kindness is paramount.  Words fitly spoken make a difference.  Medical personnel who listened and shared honestly what they were seeing made an impact where scientists never did.

Pandemic times are filled with loneliness and Christians should be willing to fill that void.  Loving people and caring for them makes all the difference in times filled with death and suffering.

I hope there isn't a next time, but likely there will be.

Let's make sure we do better.

An Esteem Engine

 

One day, about the time of the evening meal, a conversation began between two of the citizens who reside in the House of Waldron.

“Dad,” said one, whose name was Elliot.  “I wish you were an inventor.  It would be so cool to have a dad who had invented something.”

"Well," said the other particpant in this conversation, who just happened to be Elliot's father.  "I did invent one thing, but it never caught on."

"What was that?"  The young lad inquired.

"Basically, you heat up a marshmallow and put it between to Oreo cookies.  I called it the "S'Moreo, but it never caught fire the way the light bulb did.  I'm guessing it's just because everyone is so focused on low carb diets these days.  If your father had but lived fifty years ago, he would have been famous."

"That isn't really the sort of invention I was thinking of.  I wish you had invented something interesting, like the Internet or something like that," Elliot said.

“I guess Al Gore did that already.  Anyway, I think being an inventor is overrated,” I told him.  “A lot of the people who claimed to invent things were just full of Hot Air.”

“Like what inventors were full of hot air?”  Elliot queried.  I could discern plainly that he was not convinced that his life would not have been remarkably better if his father had been more Edisonian.

“Well,” I said.  “People think Leonardo da Vinci was some kind of inventor – he sketched all sorts of things like flying machines and army tanks in his notebooks, but most of them weren’t workable the way he sketched them.  A man named Stanley Meyer claimed to have made a water powered car, but he never gave any convincing demonstrations of it.”

“A water powered car would be really cool,” Elliot said.

“Sure it would, if it worked.  We would save a lot of money on gas, that’s for sure, but the people who loaned him money to make it didn't seem very pleased,” I said.  “Even Nikola Tesla, who was a pretty famous inventor, claimed to have invented a Death Ray that could shoot down planes from 250 miles a way.  No one ever saw it in action, though, which is probably fortunate.”

“Oh,” said Elliot.  “But those weren’t inventors.  They were Fakes.”

“If I were going to invent something,” I told him.  “I think it would be an Esteem Engine.”

“That doesn’t sound like a particularly good invention,” he said, in a voice of discouragement.

“That’s just what they said about the Horseless Carriage,” I said.  "But look at what's driving on the highways and byways today."

The face of my son informed that he had no idea what my invention would be.

I know that there have been many great inventors.  They have created Amazing Devices that allow one to speak to others in different continents – without even having a single wire attached to them.  There are even engines that will power a Ship of Earth into orbit.  Few of these things make a difference in how people feel or provide them with the encouragement to live their days in a fulfilled fashion.

It would be such a blessing to have an engine that boosted a person’s self esteem.  I could see public schools around the country purchasing these by the armful.

Even as I ponder the subject, I know that this an area where we need no new invention or technology.  Instead we simply need to use the tools we already have at hand.

Romans 15:2 says, "Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."  Mayhap, if just a bit of the attention paid to designing new electronics was paid to Simple Encouragement, much good would come to pass.  For this is one area in which skill is not as crucial as effort.

It might be nice to have an Esteem Engine, but the reality is that technology cannot take the place of personal interaction in matters of the heart.  If we only used our words with wisdom and kindness, we could help others.  If we only spoke with encouragement, this world could be a better place.