Morals or Ideals

I recently talked with one of my daughters in law. We were discussing the current political climate. She said something I've been chewing on since. Her words were these; "The McCain people are concerned about morals and the Obama people are concerned about ideals. " That has
become a clear distinction to me and one I think is quite valid. I've been thinking about it and my thoughts and understanding of that phrase have begun to take shape.

People concerned about morals have grass roots understanding of why they are here and whose they are.....in whom they move and have their being. It is a philosophy that makes God the foundation of all that one lives and the reason for all the decisions that are made regardless if those decisions make us comfortable or require a cost. It is a belief that this is God's world...we are God's people and our government is under His control and leading.

People concerned about ideals are those that place their faith in human perspectives. The words of educated people and those of people of high esteem in the world are listened to as if they have the answers to cultural difficulties. I must confess that I may have been there to a degree at one point in my life. It's not easy to look into the face of one who is more learned than I and say, "I simply don't agree with you....I am believing God and I want for us to live under God's rules." People that hang onto the "ideals" of this world are listening to humanism. Man's words rule over God's. After all, if we follow God's rules for society, we have to submit to some things we don't want to submit to. We may actually have to sacrifice to follow the morality of God's law.

People that live by ideals want to protect the earth from humans....save the earth....explain its change of climate by blaming the people of the earth..... Has that person ever thought about the fact that when God created humankind....He did, you know!.....he placed human kind at the pinnacle of the pyramid. He gave us dominion over all the creatures of the earth and the earth itself. Humankind is God's highest creative work. In addition to that, He made the earth for us, not us for the earth. He has built into the earth the ability to correct the mistakes of men. Does that mean that I promote waste and misuse of this world's goods? Absolutely not. We are the earth's caretakers but we must maintain a balance in remembering what was made for whom and the purpose for natural resources. We may not sit on them and act as if God can't take care of us later and let people starve by our well meaning.

People that live by ideals want the wealth to be spread over the general population. That is an ideal but it is not a valid reality. Ideal proponents look at the greed and say, "tsk, tsk". I'll take the stuff away from you and give it to the poor. Do ideal people ever look at the charity and compassion that the people of the US have handed to the world's people and continue to do so? I think it was God who said, "the poor you will always have with you". I think God looks at those that have wealth to offer it willingly to those that have nothing. Nowhere in the Word of God do you see God taking wealth away to support the poor. He is a gentlemanly God and asks that we give out of our hearts. The other way only breeds discontent and resentment.

There is enough truth in the philosophy of "ideals" to convince many of its validity.
But it is not God's way. It would take a chronicle to explain this fully. I don't have the space, time or smarts. But I do discern in my heart that God's way is the best way.....even if we can't explain some things and can't predict some things. Many of the most learned men in history have been proven so wrong it is humorous. I plead with my readers to pray about these things. Hold up my advice to the Word of God and see if it parallels. If it doesn't, you are free to be an idealist, if it does, perhaps you should be one that makes its political decisions by respect for morality.