There’s a battle on both sides of the political spectrum. The poorer people want the rich to pay more taxes. The rich are tired of people feeling they are entitled. Which side is correct?
Both.
God meant for the richer Christians to bless the poor. Leviticus 23:22 says, “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.”
More is expected from people with money. If you see someone hungry, you are to feed them. That doesn’t mean you need to give them cash. You can buy them food.
However, there is the other side of the coin. A lot of people stand on a corner with a sign saying they’re homeless and ask for food. Yet when you offer them something to eat, they refuse, because what they want is cash. A news station here did a story on people begging at the side of the road and found that most went home to a house. Sometimes the people living there were on government assistance. They just found that begging was an easy way to make money, and you don’t have to pay taxes on what you receive.
God did not mean for people to wait for a handout. He expects us to work. Proverbs 10:4 reads, A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
If you are healthy and able to work, don’t expect a free ride. It’s not fair to those who work for their money. If you can’t find a job, find a yard that needs to be mowed and offer to mow it for ten or twenty dollars.
Helping people who are in need is one thing. Expecting others to help you is another.
I understand the arguments on both sides. The rich should be willing to give more. However, there are a lot of people on welfare and Social Security disability who shouldn’t be. Welfare is supposed to be a helping hand, not a lifestyle. And alcoholism isn’t a disability.
It’s going to be interesting to see how the election comes out. It’s almost like the rich vs. the poor. I’m one of the poor. However, I think we need welfare reform badly. I’m also for a flat tax so the rich can no longer get away with deductions that keep them from paying their fair share.
Where do you stand on this issue? Share with us a story of how you’ve given in the past, whether it was with money or your time. Or was there a time when you had a hardship and someone was generous with you? Or worse, you needed financial help, and there wasn’t any.
I’m at the point where I feel that most people are to blame for their financial situations. I know a bunch of people who complain about not having enough money, but they feel the need to get Iphones, flat screen tvs, and choose to work part time vs. full time. I for one, am going through a hardship at this time in my current situation, but I feel it is no one’s fault but my own. I took the chance to run my own business and gave up working two full time jobs due to stress. Now that I am paying medical expenses out of pocket, I’ve been looking for another job to go with me running my own business, yet again, and regretting giving up the other full time job. I don’t think just b/c someone works hard to make more money means that they need to pay more for those who do not have the same financial means they do. I feel a flat tax all around will be more fair, then punishing people financially b/c they make more money. Everyone should pay the same. Just as everyone who says they don’t make enough money, should find ways to make more money if they are in hard times, instead of sitting around complaining, or buying luxuries they can’t afford in the first place. Like go from part time to full time, or find a better job. Those who sit outside with signs, saying they need money should put the same efforts into finding a job that pays, rather than looking for a handout. Times are a lot different then they were in the biblical times. Jobs are scarce, but not like they were back then. I understand some people nowadays cannot, but I’m thinking a majority of people are looking to get something for nothing and not trying to work hard to make sure they are financially stable. But that’s just what I think.
Wow, when I hit an issue you feel strongly about, you really get going. I LOVE IT! I agree that most of us are in financial trouble due to our own bad planning. I’m one of those.
I’m glad you stopped by to let us know what you think. Good stuff. (And how’s Peanut?)
Kathryn, I’m really enjoying your blog! 🙂
I’m glad to hear that, Patty. I hope you have a good week.
To me it gets back to ‘stewardship’. What do you do with what you have? The homeless guys panhandling for food who I ask him, “you aren’t going to spend this on beer or cigarettes are you?” and answers “no, I have plenty of money for beer and cigarettes, I just don’t have food money”. I gave him my granola bar. A perfect honest answer that shows poor stewardship. Sometimes its just too easy to throw money at a problem to make it leave your sight, but the job people with resources should focus on is how do we get people to be good stewards? How can you be on food stamps and welfare but have the latest iPhone? How can someone on welfare turn down 12 legitamite job offers? The system doesn’t have enough checks and balances. There were certainly abuses in the financial industry which could have been caught by enforcing existing regulation at that time, instead we have more regulation that has now crippled lending to everyone. We have the different but devasting financial abuses at the other end of the spectrum. The problem is there are so many small ones scattered among legitamite ones, its too much trouble to weed them out. It was easier with the bankers because those were a few big players, on the other side these abuses are millions of small ones. Truly poor people with pride and morals are lumped in and suffer, if we could get resources and jobs to them, this country would cut out the waste and have productive citizens that could feel good about themselves.
I agree Jane. Thanks for stopping by.