By Daniel True
As the times get tougher with a lot of people losing their long-time jobs, finding out their retirement funds were stolen by the bank they trusted, and possibly facing foreclosure of their homes, it is reasonable that people would enter into a time of panic or anxiety, then fear over what to do, and wind up angry with all the systems that obviously led to their problems!
In the past 100 years, following the advent of the “Industrial Age” the whole civilized (?) world grew exponentially into a society of affluence. Suddenly most everyone owned a car, a house and had 2 ½ children in that house (even had a man and woman as mom & dad!). And, because of expanding technology they had good jobs.
Ironically, during the last third of the last century, technology started reversing that trend. As machines became more complex in their capabilities and less expensive, it was easier to “train” a machine to do the work of several humans. Examples that I witnessed were the coal mines and the railroads. Not to belittle the history of labor unions, for they did much to make working conditions better, etc., yet they reached a point where their desire to get more money for the worker forced management to look for “relief” through other methods. They invested in machines that would replace “piece” workers by doing the job faster, with greater output and NO vacations, medical plan, retirement or strikes!
That was a bad scene (and it is still going on everywhere) but the net result was to force “retraining” – the miners learned to operate and maintain the very machines that cost them their jobs! Same with the railroads; as computerized trains proliferated throughout the industry, the people who were laid off could be “trained” to maintain, program and operate those computers.
Without treading on the political term of “change“, it in fact does happen as a natural course of life. At the Florida Space Center where I worked for 20 years, I saw the “signs” of change looming in the future. And, now they are experiencing another BIG change by phasing out the Shuttle Program for the newer, streamlined vehicle that is cheaper, requires a lot less manpower to process, operate and maintain. That means a LOT of high-tech engineering-grade people are being laid off because their current jobs and training don’t fit into the new concept.
I am concerned to see that many (thousands) of my friends out of work but the fact is that they are being forced into change – changing their field OR retraining to be able to do the kind of work that will be required in the new field of expertise . As fond as I am of the place, I really don’t want to see an Engineer as a greeter at Walmart! Sure, it may take an extra effort to retrain, but what else is available?
Looking at the spiritual or scriptural side of this issue, there were occasions in the Bible where fear and anger were justified. Fear is a natural response when something “usual” happens. The classic hypothetical example is to walk around the corner of a building and be face to face with a tiger! Fear WILL arise but we are instructed to overcome “sudden” fear like this and gain control over (any) situation. Growl back at that tiger and he will usually run away, for he is probably in fear of you as well.
And, several times even Jesus expressed anger; when the disciples fell asleep while He was praying in the garden, and when He entered the Temple (His “Father’s house”) and upset (probably karate-chopped!) the merchants’ tables. That’s called “righteous” or justified anger. But, like Jesus, we are NOT to allow anger to dwell in us, for that will turn into hate, and you cannot allow hate into your being! Hate will destroy you.
Yes, the times are tough but the cliché “God didn’t promise us a rose garden” is true. What He DID promise us (believers) is that “- – - my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19 – KJV).
Also, Jesus himself said,
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things – - - .“ (Matt 6:37 NKJV)
As usual, He said it all – clearly. And He LIVED it as well.
Can’t WE try?
