Not Until

Not until

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” 
                                                                                         Matthew 25:34-36.
Albert Einstein wrote,
“Not until the creation and maintenance of decent conditions of life for all men are recognized and accepted as a common obligation of all men and all countries—not until then shall we, with a certain degree of justification, be able to speak of mankind as civilized.”
                                                                                                     Albert Einstein.
Albert Einstein was right. I look around the world today and I see a lot of hate, and avarice. I look at the various terrorist organizations and see men and women dealing in hate. At the same time I look at the western world and see incredible wealth mixed with greed.
By far democracy is the best way of life. That being said the capitalism that thrives in democracy while an honest way of living from which many benefits have come, is not always good for people.
I find nothing wrong with honest people making as much money as they wish from things that are not essential. Hey if someone wants to sell a fancy phone for six hundred bucks or a watch for half a million that’s fine with me.
My problem is when people are making a profit off someone’s suffering. I look particularly at the medical industry. The medical industry in essential and those who work in it are honest caring and loving people who are there because they want to help.
Most are not in the industry to make a profit. Like I said they are in it because they care.
I think doctors, nurses healthcare workers and others in essential services should be among the best paid in our society.
I don’t even mind any developer of any necessary product be they drugs or medical devices making their money back even with a little interest. They took the risks in developing it they should be rewarded. Still profits should never be put ahead of the needs of people.
I listened in horror to a news cast today that told of a Canadian mother on vacation in Hawaii who’s ended up in hospital and had her baby prematurely, because of complications it cost her almost a million dollars. And the travel insurance she had has refused to pay. The provincial health care system she was covered with in Canada has paid for some but it’s far less than a hundred thousand dollars.
Think of it a Million dollars! For a human life. For me no one, especially a private company should be making money off a human life.
I understand the doctors and the hospital needs money to function and provide the services. But why does it cost so much more in the United States than in Canada or other countries that have national health systems?
That example aside there are hundreds of examples especially in the area of drug treatment. I understand the drug companies put a lot out in research but isn’t a months worth of dugs costing over a thousand or even ten thousand dollars outrageous?
Who but the rich can afford them.
Ebola is good example of an illness that has no cure because there seemingly was no profit in it for the drug companies. Now thousands of people are dying.
My daughter in law works with autistic children. More and more with these children they are finding things like computers and Ipads help them. The actual computers and ipads are reasonable compared to some of the programs that have been developed. She noted one program cost $15,000 per child. Some private insurances cover a portion of it. But those without have to go cap in hand to service clubs who do a good job at helping but why should they have too.
Why should someone with any disability or health problem not be properly covered by our government plans, is it not a basic human right?
Is a millionaire’s life and well being worth more than that of someone working for minimum wage or on social assistance?
In Canada and I know in all countries with national health systems the system eats up a lot of money. But it’s probably the best money the government spends. It is investing in the health and welfare of its people.
I believe God cares for the individual that’s why he sent Jesus to show how far he would go to have a personal relationship with us.
The quotation from Jesus I used at the beginning of this Blog I believe to be true one day we all will be called to account for our actions by God be we Christians or not.
I think the Talmud say’s it best. It states,
“When a man appears before the Throne of Judgment, the first question he is asked is not, “Have you believed in God?”  Or “Have you prayed and observed the ritual?  “He is asked: “have you dealt honourably and faithfully in all your dealings with your fellow men?”
                                                                                                              The Talmud
Tony Campolo the American Evangelist said,
“Those issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.”
Tony Campolo
As Christians I think we have a duty to do all that Tony Campolo says. I am certain Jesus would have done so. After all Jesus cared for the individual and wishes to have a personal relationship with all people.
Think about it.