I was recently informed that another Christian brother has now placed himself on the public dole and is using the state Medicaid system to finance his healthcare. Frankly, that bothers me. As I see the list of brothers and sisters in Christ that substitute the power and faithfulness of God for a belly full of bread increase, I believe that through this, they disappoint the Father and dishonor Him as well.
How does this differ from the Israelites leaving Egypt after 400 years of slavery that did the same? As soon as it got a little tough, they “wished they had stayed in Egypt for the leaks and garlics” rather than trusting God to provide for them.
No one could have used the government to provide for his family more justly than my own father. He raised 6 children through tough times after serving his country in the Armed Forces and even spent over nine months missing in action. Never once did he use state monies, taken from the people, to provide for his family. He worked two jobs and often used vacation time to work even more by picking fruit during the harvest. No family trips to Disneyland for us. He taught us to trust in God to provide through both his words AND through his actions.
King David taught this principle better than anything I can say.
Psalms 37:25
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
That wasn’t because God’s people had enrolled themselves in the welfare state of the Roman Empire. They trusted in the God that Provides (Jehovah Jireh).
Phil 4:19-20
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Buck up. Trust in our God. What kind of testimony are you giving to Him?
Seymore P. Rappaport says
April 9, 2014 at 6:14 pmCongratulations on your new practice. It seems that without the ACA you would have never embraced the Group Health Collective Model. Hope it works well for your patents. Group Health seems to do a good job even though it was branded as a Commie outfit in the 1950’s by the AMA and Washington State Medical Association. Once know a Doc who carried around the letter from the AMA kicking him out for subversive activities when he became a Surgeon for Group Health in the 1950’s. He cherished this letter. .