Trey's Blog: October 2009

As part of my plan to better myself, I try to be disciplined in my bible reading.  Today....it was Luke, Chapter 6.  Here's the quote for the week...

 ²⁰Looking at his disciples, he said:
   "Blessed are you who are poor,
      for yours is the kingdom of God.
 ²¹Blessed are you who hunger now,
      for you will be satisfied.
   Blessed are you who weep now,
      for you will laugh.
 ²²Blessed are you when men hate you,
      when they exclude you and insult you
      and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

 ²³"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
 ²⁴"But woe to you who are rich,
      for you have already received your comfort.
 ²⁵Woe to you who are well fed now,
      for you will go hungry.
   Woe to you who laugh now,
      for you will mourn and weep.
 ²⁶Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
      for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.

Love for Enemies

 ²⁷"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you.

 ³²"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. ³³And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. ³⁴And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful

Larry Bettag - Regional Vice President, Midwest Region

Illinois FHA Specialist

630-417-7172

  

               

An Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee

 

After more than a year of the Great Recession, many are pointing fingers at politicians, bankers, Wall Street tycoons, lobbyists, and at their neighbors for making financially irresponsible decisions. And what have we gained? Little of consequence.

 

Many seem to believe the problem doesn’t lie with us, but with a vague and indeterminate “them.” Few are willing to take personal responsibility for the nation’s problems and find it much easier to lament their plight, throwing up their hands in defeat. But they fail to acknowledge that: No single raindrop believes it is to blame for the flood.

 

Neither politician nor lobbyist sees their complicity in the corruption of our political system. The teen stealing a candy bar doesn’t view his actions as a symptom of growing dishonesty. The unfaithful spouse cannot envision endangering the sanctity of marriage. The classroom cheat, careless driver, dishonest businessman; all see their actions as separate and unique. But it is the combined actions of individuals that create our society.

 

And it’s not just our deeds; by failing to take action we are also responsible. When we—each of us individually—fail to hold politicians and business leaders accountable; when we fail to contact them to express our concerns, we encourage dishonesty and indolence. While only a small percentage of voters ever contact their senators or representatives, 100% of lobbyists do. And few take the time or effort to “vote with their feet,” and refuse to patronize corrupt businesses, while those same businesses spread their tentacles ever deeper into our daily lives.

 

Henry David Thoreau said: “There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.” Are we just “hacking at branches?” Have we misdirected out energy, noisily shaking our fists while avoiding our responsibility? Let’s strike the root and truly make a difference.

 

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