Is there anyone who does not know that the nation is in the midst of an economic crisis?
On the federal level, the nation barely avoided a government shutdown when Republicans and Democrats reached an eleventh-hour deal April 8 to cut $38.5 billion from the 2011 federal budget in return for approving a budget for the remaining portion of the fiscal year.
Often unmentioned in the discussion is the fact that the cuts represent about 1 percent of the federal budget ($3.82 trillion). Complicating future economic negotiations is the fact that anticipated income for the year is only about 57 percent of expenditures ($2.17 trillion) and the nation’s debt load equals about 76 percent of anticipated income ($1.65 trillion).
Is it any wonder investors are now expressing concern about the worthiness of U.S. bonds?
On the state level, Gov. Robert Bentley declared 15 percent proration for most state programs the end of last month. He said General Fund income will be more than $100 million under budget. Forecasts for the coming year border on draconian. Some anticipate another 25 percent or more being cut from state programs through proration. Some social service agencies say such cuts could put them out of existence.
In the county where I live, Jefferson County, the County Commission continues to ponder declaring bankruptcy because of astronomical sewer debt. In addition, the county struggles with the loss of income from its occupational tax, which employees have paid since 1987 and was reauthorized in 2009. But that tax has now been declared illegal because of legislative irregularities that reflect the arrogance with which the legislative process sometimes worked in the past.
The result is county workers face layoffs. Services are being cut back, and the county struggles to pay its bills. Everything from the health department to the operation of the county jail is impacted.
But that is no different from the situation faced by countless Alabama families. In the past decade, median family income declined nationwide, according to an article in The Nation magazine, and Alabama is no exception. Unemployment remains high. It is not an exaggeration to say many people are underpaid, overworked and stressed out.
Cuts in spending are happening everywhere as America and Americans attempt to put their financial houses in order.
As individuals and governments at all levels struggle with how to best utilize available financial resources, an observation from the Book of Proverbs bears remembering. In Proverbs 29:7, one reads, “The righteous care about the concerns of the poor. The wicked does not understand such concern.” That teaching is just as true, just as inspired, just as infallible as the apostle Paul’s declaration in 1 Timothy 1:15 that “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.”
The righteous — those who have God in their hearts and walk humbly before Him — care about the needs of the poor. That is the unmistakable teaching of the verse, and that teaching is reflected throughout the Bible. For example, in 1 John 3:16–17, the apostle John said, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?”
One who lives without concern for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the orphan, the widow does not have the love of God in his or her heart. Instead such a person is called “wicked,” not even understanding why people with resources would be concerned about the “have-nots” of the world.
How financial resources are used is one indicator of what is in the heart — whether it be an individual’s heart or a nation’s corporate heart. That is what the Bible says.
Christians generally agree that the Church is commissioned to care for needy people. It also must be acknowledged that caring for such people is not the task of the Church exclusively. Others also are charged with the welfare of the hurting. The Bible teaches individuals (Matt. 25:31–46), families (1 Tim. 5:8) and government (Ps. 72) share that responsibility.
Just as it is wrong for individual Christians or churches to stop caring about hurting people during difficult economic times, it is wrong for governments to balance budgets by undue cuts on programs designed to help the neediest in society.
That is why it is important to note that cuts totaling at least $2.5 billion made in the recently approved federal budget agreement impact programs serving the most vulnerable people in the world. The WIC program, a special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, was slashed $518 million. The McGovern-Dole international food aid program was reduced $354 million at a time when soaring food prices are forcing more and more people into hunger. Even former President George W. Bush’s favorite aid program — the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief — was cut by $25 million.
And this occurred in a nation where 400 families own 50 percent of its wealth. That equals as much as the bottom 155 million Americans own if all their holdings were combined.
Analysts say none of the cuts impacted those 400 families.
In Alabama, some private social service agencies are already making contingency plans for what they will do if next year’s budget is as drastically reduced as currently projected. It may well be that the “least of these” will be the first to feel the impact of coming budget cuts.
Experience teaches that I have no special expertise about how to make an inadequate amount of income cover all the necessary expenses. And it must be acknowledged that there are other ways to care for the poor besides appropriating funds for government programs. But working for effective and efficient programs is also important.
And the teaching of Scripture must be remembered during these hard times: “The righteous care about the concerns of the poor.” That biblical principle judges us all — individuals, governments and society as a whole.
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