Today's Thought

Looking forward to a bleak forecast

Dawn Cribbs

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

I have to admit to getting a bit of chuckle as I read unexpected naivete emerging in a recent column in the weekend edition of the Gazette. The column dealt with United Airlines reneging on its employees' pension plans and the columnist was incensed by the lack of trust and loyalty exhibited by the mega-corporation, and rightfully so.

That wasn't the part I found amusing. As I read further, the writer bemoaned the sad state of affairs and the loss of what he termed "the social contract." He reminisced of the days when such things as loyalty and trust were the norm, rather than the exception.

Unfortunately, those good ol' days of "quid pro quo" were short-lived at best.

Any student of the industrial revolution knows and understands that the action taken by United Airlines is mild in comparison to the actions of the railroad barons, coal mine owners or the sweat shop managers across the nation as the 20th century dawned. After all, the familiar refrain:
You load 16 ton and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt.
St. Peter don't call me, cause I can't go.
I owe my soul to the company store."
came from real life experiences.

Labor unions made a big difference in the lives of the blue collar worker, but, not surprisingly, soon found themselves guilty of the same dark impulse that afflicted the railroad baron, the coal mine owner and the sweat shop manager.

Greed.

This vile attitude has been around since time out of mind. As I read the aforementioned column, I recalled that during my Bible study just that morning, I read of Jerusalem's coming judgment, foretold by the prophet Micah, for -- among other things -- just that kind of exploitation. "They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellowman of his inheritance." (Micah 2:2)

It seems that no matter how sophisticated, educated, or progressive man believes he is, or believes he is becoming, human nature remains unchanged.

Sadly, a lack of loyalty and trust is not restricted only to the employee, employer relationship and is not always sacrificed on the altar of greed, but on other altars as well. Some altars are cleverly camouflaged so that at times the one placing a sacrifice thereon does not see immediately, if ever, the true nature of the altar nor the true value of the sacrifice laid upon it.

One such altar masquerades as "true love" when one or both of the parties in love are already pledged to someone else. The true name of that altar? Adultery.

Another altar masquerades under the name of "choice" where the loyalty and trust between creator and created is most cruelly divided by the abortionist. The true name of that altar? Murder.

Then there is the altar of self, where many souls have been forfeit for the brief accolades of fame, fortune or success. The true name of that altar? Idolatry.

Whatever the altar, whatever the cause, human beings remain in the same despicable condition that afflicted those banished from the Garden of Eden when time began.

What a bleak picture.

I can't stay in this bleak picture, though I acknowledge the truth of it, I cannot stop here and live apart from hope.

Because there is hope and though the height, the depth, the width and the length of that hope fulfilled won't be fully realized this side of heaven, there is sufficient hope to sustain us where we are today.

Because, brothers and sisters, those altars have been broken down. Just as the Asherah poles in Israel were broken down and destroyed, we too can smash the altars of greed, adultery, murder and idolatry.

Let it never be said that a follower of Christ Jesus -- who paid the penalty for our falseness, our adulteries, our lies, our thievery, our idolatries, our murders -- has built again that which has been destroyed at such a high price.

In a world swimming in greed and lust -- where no man can be trusted, where there is no integrity -- be known, among all people, as one whose word is his bond, as one whose integrity is unimpeachable, and one whose hope is in the Lord.

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NIV)