Who Deserves Healthcare?

Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:4-5

All this discussion about the new healthcare bill has sparked new rounds of ugly talk and divisiveness throughout this country. I have heard some, possibly well-intended, comments coming from those who claim to be followers of Christ. Things posted as statuses on facebook, since that seems to be an appropriate place to air political ideologies, such as:

Democracy will cease to exist when you take from those who are willing to work and give to those who are not.

This one was quoting Thomas Jefferson, and I have to confess that I did not ask the one who posted it if it was in reference to the healthcare bill, but if not, it certainly was interesting timing for the post. If this was indeed in reference to the bill, one has to ask the question, are only those unwilling to work going without healthcare coverage? I know plenty of folks who work VERY hard but are just not able to have ends meet at the end of the month. Maybe they just aren’t privileged enough to work the right kind of job?

I saw a status that was apologizing to Abe Lincoln for the decline of democracy, saying that it was no longer of the people, for the people, etc. That’s really a huge assumption. Here’s a thought on that one: Is it possible that there are just as many, if not more people, who are calling, emailing, and writing their congressmen/women on a daily basis, asking for reform? Is it not a possibility that there are thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people out there who are desperate for reform, and have let their representatives know this on a regular basis? Is it not possible that for every person who became a fan of the “I demand a repeal of Obamacare” page, there are others out there who are working two and three jobs just to make ends meet and so don’t have the luxury of playing Farmville on the internet at home? Is it possible that there is another perspective outside of ourselves that has not yet been considered? Isn’t it possible?

All of this has me asking lots of questions about the state of the Church. To see Christians flinging labels such as socialist and communist, comparing Obama to Hitler, seriously, is this what we are called to? Are we called to contribute to the division or have we not been called to be instruments of reconciliation, called to be at peace with everyone (which is not the same as agreeing with everyone, but it’s hard to be at peace with those whom we are labeling Hitler) regardless of the circumstances or situations? Have we forgotten where our true citizenship lies (Philippians 3:20)?

I often wonder about the state of the Church and how far we have strayed from that picture of Church in Acts 4. I often wonder how different the world would be if we, the Church, were more like the description we see there:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

Well, those who like to label and name-call might just be able to say that those in the early Church were socialists, as they distributed all they had around to everyone among them. What a beautiful thing. You know what I like even more than that, though: they were one in heart and mind. They were one!! Just as Jesus has interceded for them, “That they may be one,” they were united as a body, together in full force for the sake of one purpose: fulfilling the commandment of their Christ. And they grew as a body daily, because they were different, set apart, didn’t get bogged down by the political nonsense of the day, but stayed the course that was set for them by their Teacher.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

Then before Jesus was taken up into heaven, he spoke to his followers, saying, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Tomorrow I'll look at the community that formed the Church, enabling it to accomplish the command that Jesus gave...

In all things, friends, there is grace and peace,