Today’s Scripture Reading (January
10, 2016): Judges 15
The United States
might be the only Super Power left in the world (although there is evidence
that Russia would like to once again regain its title as “the Other Super Power”),
but that does not mean that they are all powerful. Like every Super Hero that I
have read about in my childhood, there is a substance that can make the United
States as weak as – well, Canada. For Superman it was Kryptonite. For J’onn J’onzz
it was fire. All the supers had something that made them not so super, and for
the United States that something is debt. China holds more American debt than
anyone else, and that means that China holds economic control over the United
States. If China were to begin dumping American Debt, then interest rates would
begin to rise in the United States and all of it would be out of the control of
the President or anyone else. At some point in the future, American Kryptonite
might be oil. I know we act like it is now, but the truth is that the United
States has access to all the oil it needs for the next few years – and maybe
decades. But the problem of money and debt could raise its ugly head tomorrow
and destroy the nation. In fact, some believe that the reason why China has
purchased American Debt is so that it could hold this power. And at some point,
they will come knocking with the debt in hand to ask for a big favor – and it
is likely on that day that the United States will have trouble saying no.
It is the
reason why we – meaning all of the affluent first world nations – need to get
our acts together and do something about the debt of our nations. People who
run their lives with the same economic strategy as the richest of the nations
would find themselves in economic trouble. CEO’s who make the decision to run
their companies that way are fired. I have no idea what is so attractive about
massive debt for the nations. The events that have taken place in Greece over the
past few years should be a cautionary tale for all of us – debt is bad and it
will result in a serious loss of control over your own future – so deal with it
before we have to pay that bill that none of us wants to pay. The Bible makes
it clear in its understanding of economics - The rich rule over the
poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7).
The words of
the men of Judah is a bit of an exaggeration, but only a bit. The Philistines
never physically ruled over all of Judah. But the statement is a reminder that
the story of Sampson and Philistines is really simply a mess from beginning to
end. The story contains no heroes, only victims and villains. There are no
protagonists for the story, only antagonists.
So the
Philistines never really ruled over Judah. What made them strong in the eyes of
the men of Judah is that they held the kryptonite. In the case of Judah, that
kryptonite came in the form of Iron. Of that substance, the Philistines had a
monopoly, and Israel was in great need. Her economy and the defense of the
tribe was dependant on something that only the Philistines had.
And because
of that, Judah was willing to do anything in order to make sure that they were
kept in the supply of Iron – even if that meant tying their judge up and giving
him to the Philistines. Not an act of courage, but a despicable act of a group
of men that had become slaves – not because of physical power, but because of
desire - and the presence of kryptonite.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges
16
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