Monday, March 22, 2010

My thoughts on healthcare

So, healthcare reform passed.  I hate to say this, but I'm really disappointed with the way much of the Christian population has responded to the news.  Hear me out.  I listened to a sermon on Friday about a Christian's submission to government.  You can listen to it hereI urge you to listen to it.  It will be 40 minutes well spent.  The speaker is the lead pastor of the church James and I have been attending.

The main point of the sermon that I want to write about is found in the following verse:
Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.  - 1 Peter 2:17 (ESV)

The person who was the emperor when Peter penned those words was Nero.  Yes, Nero.  The very same Nero who executed Christians.  The apostle Peter says to honor that man.  Take a minute to think to think about the things you have said over the past few days about President Obama, Nancy Peloci, and your own congressmen/represenatives over the past few days.  Was it "honoring" when you compared our president to Lenin or when you compared him to a murderer or when you called the Madame Speaker a liar?  I don't mean to offend you, and if you are getting angry at my words your beef is not with me.  Your beef is with the Man who penned the Holy Scriptures.

Here's another thing to think about while you are steaming mad about healthcare reform.  Go back to the first century in Rome.  You are standing in a Roman Amphitheater.  It is loud and crowded.  There are Roman soldiers and lions.  You see a woman on her knees in the middle of all the chaos.  You go to talk to her.  Her name is Blandina.  You start to tell her about how bad things are here in the US in the year 2010 because we are going to have some changes to our healthcare system.  After ranting for a while, it occurs to you to ask her what is troubling her.  It turns out that she is about to be fed to the lions on account of her faith.  How's healthcare reform sound now?  Honor the emperor.  Honor our President.

I do understand that the new law may result in more abortions, which is a travesty.  If that is what your main problem with the legislation is, then take up the cause for the unborn. . .but "Honor Everyone."  And remember God has placed our leaders in authority, and it is God who is in control of all things.
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.  Romans 13:1

2 comments:

  1. WOW, Steph. I loved that posting. Thank you for that. I agree with you...we as Christians have a very big job to do...LOVE one another. It can be such a fine line between standing up for what WE believe is right and JUDGING others...it is hard to find the right balance! :) Hugs, Heather

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  2. Girl, you post should be put in church newsletters across our country. They are so powerful, so well written and so painfully true! Thanks for taking the time to remind us of this! Always enjoy your entries!

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