Welfare Mentality

Our society doesn't think highly of lazy moochers. Oh, people may not say it out loud, free speech being suppressed by "political correctness"; but they think it. I am not talking about people who can't work do to real physical or mental handicaps. I am thinking about the physically fit and mentally capable men and women who are just lazy. They are always on the take, and never give. They expect some one to provide for them as though it were a fundamental human right. On top of it, in keeping with the "right" to be egocentric, they don't say "thank you" either.

As offensive as those people are, I wonder how the rest of us would do if we were tested? I know people that work and pay their taxes, but are they any better than the lazy moochers? God says, in Romans 1:21, "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to Him." When I think about it, it seems really quite incredible that we are given the gift of life. Our heart beats and we take our next breath because God gives it to us. It is God who gives us intellectual abilities, talents, our gender, and do we take it for granted? God gives us food. It might have been oatmeal, that's all we get, all day, every day. But no, God gives us a huge variety of foods with different colors, textures, and flavors. It isn't a "right" to receive the countless benefits we receive daily. If God were playing by the rules of "rightness", our personal rebellions against Him each day would demand judgement, and that wouldn't be fun.

Romans 1:21 point out that thankfulness ought to be the obvious mark of all mankind. Lazy people with a welfare mentality are offensive to those people that work and pay taxes; but God finds the socially acceptable people, those who work, offensive when they do not honor Him, the giver of all life and abilities. Imagine taking for granted your next breath, and not being thankful?!

Taking the idea one step further, imagine being a child of God, one who professes to love God, and then living without thankfulness? Philippians 4:4-7, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

"Oh Lord, help me to live in thankfulness, and please forgive me when I forget."