World News Through the Third Lens: Federal Flood Aid Denied

Individuals denied federal flood aid as reported by the Norwich Bulletin, April 28, 2010 - commentary by: Les Young

"Home and business owners won't be getting federal financial assistance to rebuild from March floods, a decision Connecticut's governor is vowing to fight. President Barack Obama has denied the state's request for individual aid to New London and Windham County homeowners, renters and employers. The White House on Friday approved aid to municipal governments in New London, Fairfield and Middlesex counties. 'This decision is not only disappointing, it's wrong, and I will appeal it," Gov. Rell said in a press release.'"

Further on in the article, after numerous town officials, business owners and homeowners voiced their consternation over President Obama's decision, one homeowner was quoted as saying, "I accept Obama's decision, especially after a Saturday tornado in Mississippi that killed 10. There are a lot of people worse off than I am," she said.

Through the third lens of Scripture: Don't worry, I am not going to launch into some comparison between the flooding in CT and RI on March 29-30, 2010 and the world-wide flood in Noah's day. Neither am I going to suggest that the flooding was some sort of judgment inflicted by an angry God on the people of southern New England. Jesus himself warned against such tactics in Luke 13:1-4. Jesus does go on to give a warning that is meant for anyone who has ears to hear. "I tell you no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish" (Luke 13:5). So the first point, whenever disaster strikes is to engage in personal judgment, knowing that we have this promise: "For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world" (1 Corinthians 11:31-32).

Another point is to remember the slogan of the Worth Reading blog site: "The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen." Then there are the words of Thomas Jefferson" "A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have." I don't criticize people in our area for rushing to meet deadlines and filing tons of paperwork in hopes that they might benefit from some government help. I would just hope to remind anyone who might read this blog that in God's order of things, the help pyramid should look like this: God first, then family, then the community of faith, and then maybe the government. In Bible times, "princes" were synonymous with "government, and the Bible says: "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes" (Psalms 118:9)

The next order was family, and the Bible says this: "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Timothy 5:8). The next ordered source of help is to be the church. "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10). I don't expect that one short blog is going to change the way the country has gotten used to doing business, but perhaps someone will finally understand that God has a better way than either the Democrats or the Republicans.