(Beach, Ocean City, MD Oct 2005, JAVanDevender)
Isaiah 22:12-13 And in that day the Lord GOD of hosts Called for weeping and for mourning, For baldness and for girding with sackcloth. But instead, joy and gladness, Slaying oxen and killing sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"
Matthew 16:2-3 He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red'; "and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.
When it comes to wisdom, you can't go far wrong with Yogi Berra. It is tough making predictions... and sometimes, I think, we get so turned off by those few who make predictions and have them turn out so egregiously wrong (anyone remember Y2K or Howard Camping's 1994) that we kind of give up trying to discern any patterns or impending possibilities in developing events. When this happens we tend to "just live for the moment..." because that is all we have... and we give no thought to tomorrow, because, after all, tomorrow will take care of itself.
In the Isaiah passage above, the ancient Israelites did just that kind of thing. The darkening forces of rising Assyrian power and the aggressive policies of that vicious people were as the gathering wind on a beach whistling in before the clouds on the horizon. Anyone with eyes to see could tell that it was a time for sackcloth and ashes, for weeping and mourning before the Lord, for cautious politics and sincere seeking of Divine assistance. It was a time of turning from the comforts of false prosperity and for making self-sacrificing choices in preparation for stern times.
But that was too much to ask. Rather, like ostriches burying their heads in the sand, those ancients just went about their pleasurable ways and hoped for the best. Some even took the philosophical approach... "if it happens, it happens... let's eat, drink and be merry, while we can.. for tomorrow we die."
Jesus clearly taught that people should pay attention to the signs that are given them... that with wisdom of experience, knowledge of history, penetration of insight and an overall sense of responsibility for the future, they should conduct themselves appropriately and seek to respond to the direction of developing events.
Today, from my perspective, our culture has much in common with those Israelites. It doesn't take a rocket scientist (why are they considered so smart?) to plot the general trajectory of developing events. Hard times appear to be coming. Monetary policies over the past few years and currently accelerating, will come home to roost... taxes and/or inflation will make life difficult. Trends in violence will accelerate as the culture of lawlessness breaks through the thin cordon of police boundaries in the inner cities and commences to ravage the virtually unprotected suburbs. The inexcusable prevalence of teenage pregnancies (see HERE) forebodes an entire generation of children growing up without even a mature role-model and most often without any knowledge of domestic stability on which to gauge their own relationships.
It is tough to make predictions... but it is irresponsible and stupid not to make preparations for eventualities or to take steps to counter trends. Christians and anyone else with eyes to see should be undertaking distinct strategies and actions to be a lighthouse on the shore. Although inflation plays havoc with the value of accumulated savings, yet it is better to have devalued funds than none at all. Christians should be learning the disciplines of frugality, restraint and self-sufficiency. We should be returning to core values of family, family meals, extended conversations (no cell phones allowed) with friends and kids, and other forms of mutual bonding which will provide the support networks that may be needed soon. We need to renew our view of the church as outpost.... shelter ..... and source of supply as we learn to face circumstances depending on mutual loyalty.
There is much we can do but it requires dramatic, indeed revolutionary alteration in our thinking and ordering of priorities. "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die" is the slogan of a loser... Yogi Berra was no loser. "It's not over till it's over" is our cry and we remain in the game.
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