Not Until

Not until

Not until the creation and maintenance of decent conditions of life for all men are recognized and accepted as a common obligation of all men and all countries—not until then shall we, with a certain degree of justification, be able to speak of mankind as civilized.
Albert Einstein

Our world is a wreck socially. There is enough food to feed the worlds population yet million die of starvation.
I watched a documentary on the U.S. network PBS the other day about illegal’s entering in from the south. It is a big problem.
Why are they coming? Simple, for a better life. They are so desperate that they will try anything.
I can understand also why protesters are trying to stem the tide. It could cost the government millions if not billions to take care of them. Money that could be put to good use for American citizens.
But can the flow be stopped sadly I think not.
In order to stop such a thing one needs to go to the root cause. In this case poverty, despair and lack of good stable living conditions.
How it’s to be done I don’t know. It all come down to political will. Are the countries of the west willing to pump billions into the third world countries to bring their standard of living up to that of the west? I think not.
And besides there is no guarantee that it will work. Corruption is rampant in the third world. The governments there don’t seem to want to change.
Sinking money into some third world countries is akin to fighting a million acre forest fire with a bucket.
So what is to be done?
I believe as Christians we need to do our best to help these people. We need to redouble our efforts as Christians.
Jesus said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” 
         Matthew 7:12.
Put yourself in the position of those who are desperate and wanting only to have a better life for themselves and their children. Wouldn’t you do everything you could.
Our world has it’s priorities upside down.
Sometime ago Harry Golden wrote,
“I would recommend that we straighten out a few things before we contemplate any interplanetary transportation system.  Suppose a man from Mars should suddenly appear on Earth?  I think it would be terribly embarrassing if he learned that a second-rate singer in a night club makes four thousand dollars a week, and a high-school teacher makes three thousand eight hundred and ninety dollars a year.  This and many other things should be straightened out first if we intend to maintain our dignity when planet folks start visiting us.”
Think of our priorities a professional sports player makes multi millions. Popular singers also make multi millions. While quite often the people who support them earn poverty line or live in households which earn poverty line wages.
All of these super stars, make far more than a doctor or teacher. Yet who do we notice first when they go on strike. Teachers, and Doctors.
I’m not against sports or entertainers making money. That’s their right.
At the same time I think our society needs to look at our priorities.
We need a rethink a societal change. Something that is not going to happen because man is very selfish and thinks primarily about himself.
The words of Jesus
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” are forgotten in our society in general.
Someone asked me why does God allow such things to happen I answer them with this quote from the Talmud,
“Rabbi Akiba was asked by a Roman general, “Why does your God who loves the needy not provide for their support Himself?”  He answered, “God the Father of both the rich and poor, wants the one to help the other so as to make the world a household of love.”
Sadly this is not happening because mankind is drifting further and further from God.
Profits and the bottom line take priority over the welfare of our fellow man.
All of that I strongly believe will eventually end. Each individual Person will be held accountable for their deeds and actions.
Again to quote the Talmud,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?”
Do you?
Jesus said,
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets”
Be you a believer or not doing to others as you would have others do to you is truly the only humane thing to do. Isn’t it?
Think about it.