What happens when the weak start shooting the strong? Maybe it's the only option that seems available. That's when nourishment sends you a bill, time to pay up. That's when all that ignoring kind of kicks you in the butt.
I'm not defending the weak. I think I'm one of the weak, wrongfuly picking up the shotgun of his mouth and leveling it at whoever is threatening me.
Posted by mike at October 25, 2004 08:21 AMIt's called "welfare". It happens every day.
Posted by: ryan at October 25, 2004 10:08 AMWhat nobody (especially me) seems to remember is that strength is an illusion. Didn't the psalms say that the lowborn man is but a breath and the highborn man, a lie? Our theology needs more "weak" and "strong" people attacking our notions of strength, exalting the name of the Lord. I mean, what exactly does God think of the whole situation: some people actually pretend to have a stronger hold on life than others, giving them the right to fire away at anyone they deem weaker? It's incredibly ironic.
Blog-to-blog connection: see most recent post from tacyjane at http://covblogs.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/2636.
(you can also find it at easternbirds.covbogs.com.)
As for welfare, I think the state has an obligation to the poor. Of course our system is corrupt, but it is better than nothing. And yes, I'll defend that scripturally. Rock on.
Posted by: bob at October 25, 2004 10:32 AMRock on Bobbo.
Hey, you all need to recognize that strength is an illusion, and it comes and goes as God decides. And there's no requisite for it. His love and sustenance does not change, no matter how our circumstances change.
I've had a really hard year! Now I'm having a great year! Is that something I've earned? (Remember the blind guy that Jesus healed with a spit-and-dust poultice...he was made blind so that the power of God could be revealed through Jesus.)
Even day to day my strength comes and goes, and the only place to find structure and strength is in the cleft of the rock, Jesus, who was broken for us.
So lest we become prideful even in discussing strength and weakness and shotguns so audaciously, let us mind our tongues and be careful of our conversation. Pride goes before a fall, and if we idolize anything above dependence on Jesus, God will not tolerate that and will replace himself as our number one God...every time. What a merciful God he is that he does that for us every time we need it.
Posted by: Krista at October 28, 2004 05:42 PM