Teach Us, To Fish.

    Recently, I found myself, going over my month to month household  bills and other expenses. I seldom find myself,  looking forward to this type of household accounting,  because I know the question never is have the cost of things gone up that's a given, the only question is by how much. As I continued with my household operating cost analysis,  I discover something quite depressing, every bill I have to pay each month had gone up at least fifteen percent or more. I know I am no different than many other Americans, I have all the same bills that any average person,  would have. There was one thing however that hasn't gone up at my house and that would be the amount of money my wife and I have to pay our bills.While I thought about all of the family bills and how best to deal with all their new increased cost, my daughter Cassandra,  came to me and asked, "Daddy, are we still going to have Christmas,  this year? When I asked her why she asked me this question she said,"Well, I just thought Christmas presents especially what I want may be two expensive so, if It is Daddy, we can just have a cheaper Christmas." I assured her that if no one else had Christmas this year she would. when she asked what her mother and I wanted this year for Christmas, I told her that God already gave us the best Christmas present,  any mommy or daddy could ever wish for and when she asked what that might be I simply said, you! I then told her not to worry for as a Christian I knew God would provide.
    There is an old Chinese proverb that says, " Give a man a fish and he eats today, teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime."I am afraid however that due to certain cultural and economic changes in America, there are many Americans, who do not want to be taught to fish and why should they?  The government will do their fishing for them? As an American, I don't mind people receiving unemployment or food stamps if they are in need of some help while they're getting back on their feet again. I t seems however that many Americans are seeking a type of early retirement and they are content to use government assistance to accomplish this.
    Christians,  were taught in Luke 11: 3  to pray to God, saying give us this day our daily bread." Many Americans, it would seem,  no longer need to ask God for anything because the government,  is their God and the government gives them their daily bread although when government gives out daily bread hard working American taxpayers have to pay for it. Christians, should always, remember this the same Bible,  that says, in Matthew 26:16 that the poor will always be with us, is the same Bible, that says, in Thessalonians 3:10 that if anyone who could would not work than neither should they eat. I know a man who was offered a job recently and it paid more than the unemployment check he was receiving when I asked him why he he refused to take the job he said,"I've got sixteen more weeks to draw unemployment so,  there  is no since in working at least not until I just have to." That's when I knew what his real problem was he had a job offered to him that is to say someone offered him a fishing poll and wanted to teach him to fish but had no real need or desire to learn. As a Christian,  all I can say, is simply this Lord, you taught Christians, how to pray now can you please give many who have been spoiled in America, a renewed  desire to learn and once that desire has been renewed in this nation please Lord, teach us to fish.As always, my friends, these thoughts remain, just, some words, to think on.