Only Jesus

America, largely, has lost it. We've lost our collective minds. Originally this was "the land of opportunity." It was the place of the "American Dream." That dream was that with hard work and determination, "Anyone can come here and make something of themselves." No longer. "'Make something of themselves'? Anyone? Oh, no. Not anyone."

Our dream is vanquished. The notion of capitalism (the basis of that dream) is now classified as largely evil. We are divided into the haves and the have nots. And the have nots largely outnumber the haves. So we want war. We want what we've got coming. We want our share. And we don't want to work for it and we don't want to pay for it and we don't want to put in the time or effort. We want it and we want it now. So we cry out against the 1% and demand that the government take their money and give it to us.

Of course, somehow we've become blind to the facts. We've become blind the reality that our "have nots" have far more than, say, our African have-not brothers. A study in 2019 discovered that the poorest 20% of Americans consume more goods and services than the national averages for all people in most affluent countries. Our "have nots" have more than our affluent European brothers. Oddly enough, I don't see any of our have-nots dedicating their excessive wealth (relatively speaking) to those who have far less. "When they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding." (2 Cor 10:12) That's us.

Well, who's to blame for all this? When God asked Adam, he answered, "It was that woman You gave me!" (Gen 3:12) We, of course, have modified that. "It's those white people You gave us!" Well, sometimes. Maybe "It's the males You gave us." Currently a growing theme is "It's those Christians you gave us." Whatever the blame du jour is, it is never "Me."

James wrote, "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." (James 1:13-15) We've lost our collective minds. We think that if we can get someone to give us what we want without having to work for it and blame someone else for it not happening yet, we will be happy. Worse, we will be right! Our rights will be satisfied. Without regard, of course, to anyone else. Why? Because it's what we desire and that makes it right and it makes it our right. No amount of "better government" or "better political views" or "better laws" or "eliminate those who are the problem" will solve this. Only Jesus.