Confession–good for the sole

OK. I’ll go first. My name is Steve, and I have a problem.

I’ve become dependent on government assistance. I just found out that my unemployment compensation, which I had expected to run out next month, is now extended into September. Four more months to become even more deeply ensnared in Acquired Helpless Syndrome, which some people (like conservative talk radio hosts) believe is a virtual conspiracy to create a permanent socialist-minded under-class.

I even had a brother lean across the table at lunch recently and tell me, “I think socialized medicine is a good thing.” I nearly choked on my chimichanga. In context, he might as well have told me that medical marijuana and man-boy love relations were a good thing. It was that shocking.

Now I fear absorption into something where resistance is futile, like so many other things. My loving family has become so concerned about my litany of complaints –”frustration failure & defeat”–that they conducted a mini-intervention on Easter, right after Sunday dinner. Talk about taking advantage of a fellow’s weakness. But I did have to admit that I might be setting myself up for self-fulfilling (negative) prophecies.

Good Friday was also memorable. Our church’s service involved foot washing. When it was my turn, my wife joked that she hoped I didn’t have holes in my socks. I said, “No, just in my shoes.” I stuck my finger though a hole, and people laughed. Let’s just say they looked like Crocs, but weren’t supposed to.

Three days later, one of the guys took me over to Kohl’s and bought me two pairs of shoes. He didn’t think the associate pastor should be walking around with holes in his shoes. When the church reaches out like that, it just gives you a good feeling about things–the way it ought to be, brother helping brother (instead of Big Brother managing our lives).

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: When we complain about big government, we’re really pointing a finger at all of us in the church. If the public sector is doing too much, it’s in large measure because the private sector is doing far too little. Shame on us. Let’s fix that.

I’ll definitely have more to say on this subject in the days ahead.