A Swedish Christmas Gift, Photo by Evalowyn (CC BY 3.0 Unported)
With the last leaf fallen and fields bare, we are confronted by the Christmas season. In truth, we can hardly avoid it. Carols blare an invitation to spending orgies. The Hallelujah Chorus trumpets sales.
There is arguably some precedent for this extended extravagance. The Wise Men may have traveled as long as two years before reaching their destination. Throughout, they followed the star. All to bring birthday gifts.
As Christians, we know, of course, that Jesus was the gift. The challenge for us, also, is to follow that star; to keep it in sight despite trials and distractions. It burns brightly still, if we will only choose to see. He is, after all, the Light of the world. Read more…
In 2010, 5.3 million families lived below the poverty level, in spite of the fact they had at least one family member employed for half the year or longer. These are the working poor[i] – the men and women with one or more jobs whose combined income will not cover basic necessities like food, clothing, and housing.
The challenge of simply staying alive places untenable burdens not only on wage earners, but the children and elderly they are attempting to support. Heroic efforts by those trapped in the cycle of poverty often make no perceptible difference.
Housing
“ ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head’ ” (Matt. 8: 20).
Like the Lord, Himself, the working poor have difficulty finding a place to lay their heads. In almost every case they pay more than the recommended 30% of their income on housing. The small amount they make will not stretch far enough, so the threat of homelessness is ever present.
Eviction is commonplace, effectively depriving families of most of their worldly goods, when a landlord does not make retrieval feasible, or funds are not present to allow for relocation in a timely manner.
Families are separated in the process, sleeping on a friend’s couch or floor one night and elsewhere the next. Despite the existence of governmental agencies and non-profit organizations, even finding temporary shelter – let alone affordable housing, in livable condition – can be a daunting task. Read more…
“Christ and the Rich Young Ruler” by Heinrich Hofmann (1889), Riverside Church, NY (PD-Art, PD-old-100)
“And it came to pass in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered” (Luke 2: 1).
Recently released census figures show that poverty is at its highest level since the 1960s. President Lyndon Johnson’s “war on poverty” is a faded memory.
Poverty is spreading to include the under-employed middle class. Long-term trends such as globalization, outsourcing, increased automation, and decreased unionization have combined to push median household income lower. These trends are not expected to reverse any time soon.
How different is our time from that in which Christ was born? Read more…
Most people assume that attorneys must be wealthy. Many law schools mistakenly laud wealth as the measure of achievement. Law Review is touted as the stepping stone not to public service, but Wall Street and private advancement.
We, who know Christ, follow in the footsteps of the greatest Advocate ever (1 John 2: 1). Our goal should not be to accumulate wealth in this world, but the next. Our glory is to suffer as He did.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12: 34).
Lord Jesus, You are our Advocate before the Father.
We seek to follow You…but only if the cost of discipleship is not too high. Only if we need not sacrifice our comfort or our pride.
Forgive our hesitation, Lord. Strengthen us for the task. Help us to remember that all we have, we have from You.
Amen
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
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The working poor are those with one or more jobs whose combined income remains below the poverty level. For them, employment is a ceaseless grind – constant motion without any measurable progress.
In 2010, there were 10.5 million individuals counted among the working poor (7.2% of the labor force; 15.1% of all part-time employees)[i]. These are not insignificant numbers, and they only get worse as we dig more deeply.
Families
“ ‘But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children’ ” (2 Sam. 12: 3).
More than four times the number of working poor with children under age 18 live in poverty, than those without children. Women are more likely than men to fall into the category of working poor. These statistics derive, in part, from the fact that safe and affordable child care may be impossible to obtain in the inner city.
An unreliable grandparent or neighbor charged with watching young children can all too easily put the employment (or education) of a single parent in jeopardy, by generating absences or latenesses on the part of the wage earner.
When childcare is unavailable, children as young as 6 or 7 years may be left at home unsupervised while their mothers work. This is not a matter of disregard for the children’s welfare. It is a Hobson’s choice, one of many such choices the poor are forced to make. Read more…
“The Mayflower Compact” by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (PD-ArtlPD-US-not renewed)
A foundation stone for democracy on this continent, the Mayflower Compact was the first document under which the Plymouth Colony was governed. The agreement, which established an elected authority all would obey, was signed in 1620 as the Mayflower rode at anchor in Cape Cod Harbor.
For the Sake of Freedom and Equality
The Pilgrims were actually comprised of two groups: Separatists and non-Separatists.
The Separatists sought religious liberty, specifically the right to separate from the Church of England. They had initially emigrated to the tolerant Netherlands, but found the Dutch culture at odds with their own.
The non-Separatists — like many to follow them — sought economic and social opportunity, and the chance for a better life in America.
In the broadest terms, all risked their lives for the sake of freedom and equality. Read more…
View of North America from low orbit satellite, Source https://NASA.gov, Author NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring, (PD)
“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain…You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail” (Heb. 1: 10-12).
Lord Jesus,
When our foundations are shaken,
When the work of our hands fails,
When change overwhelms us,
And we cannot determine
Which way to go,
We turn to You
For You remain constant.
Though we may plumb
The mysteries of the universe
From the atom to the farthest star,
We remain Your creation,
Your children,
And will find no truth
Or solace
Apart from You.
Guide us through
These tumultuous times.
Help us to bear
Even the unbearable,
Trusting that You
Will work all things for good,
So that when our years fail
We may meet You in glory.
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
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Detail of Compound Microscope by Claude Passemant, Photo by Sage Ross (CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic, 1.0 Generic, GFDL 1.2 or later)
Quick: Name a Christian scientist. No, not a member of the Church of Christ Scientist founded by Mary Baker Eddy (“Christian Scientist”), and not a member of the Church of Scientology founded by L. Ron Hubbard (“Scientologist”).
Give up? Consider a combination of the terms “Christian” and “scientist” an oxymoron? Then you, like many other Christians today, might benefit from a short science lesson.
Scientific Ignorance
Somehow, we have been convinced that the abandonment of reason is a requirement of Christianity, and that ignorance of science is a badge of honor among Christians. However, a large number of leading scientists over the centuries have been Christian. Georges Lemaitre, for instance, was the astronomer (and Catholic priest) who proposed the “Big Bang” theory.
On the Shoulders of Giants
Christian scientists have made enormous contributions in fields ranging from astronomy and physics to genetics and seismology. Here are just a few examples:
- Nicolaus Copernicus, Father of Modern Astronomy
- Andreas Vesalius, Father of Modern Anatomy
- Galileo Galilei, Father of Modern Science
- Johannes Kepler, Father of the Planetary Laws of Motion
- Carolus Linnaeus, Father of Taxonomy
- Antoine Lavoisier, Father of Modern Chemistry
- Michael Farady, Father of Electronics
- George Boole, Father of Computer Science
- Gregor Mendel, Father of Genetics
- James Maxwell, Father of Modern Physics
- George Washington Carver, Father of Chemurgy[i]
After the fall of the Roman Empire, it was the church which – almost single handedly – preserved literacy in Western Europe. During the Dark Ages, monks saved works of classical scholarship from destruction at the hands of barbarian invaders. The church established some of Europe’s earliest universities, along with thousands of smaller schools. Read more…
As legal professionals, we can become hardened – almost in self-defense.
We deal regularly with extremely difficulty life situations. A will is contested on the death of a loved one. An auto accident raises questions of liability. Criminal allegations must be contested or the viability of defenses assessed.
For the clients’ benefit as much as our own, we steel ourselves to the emotional context of these situations; become increasingly inured as situations recur.
At times, we become the focus of misdirected anger by individuals or families attempting to deal with crisis or tragedy. We must face down ruthless and unscrupulous adversaries, without sinking to their level; may work side by side with colleagues whose ethics are less stringent than our own. “Lawyer jokes” to the contrary, we are often unappreciated and underpaid.
Worst of all perhaps, we see injustice triumph. We see base tactics succeed.
As a result of this, we can become jaded and worn down over the years. One plaintiff, one defendant, can become much the same as another to us.
God, however, calls us to mercy. After all, it is on His mercy we ourselves rely.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt. 5: 7).
Merciful God, You above all know how much it is we need mercy.
Remind us to safeguard the weak, and forgive even those who would harm us. Help us to remain effective advocates while extending Your mercy to clients and adversaries, alike. Give us the strength and the heart to do so.
Amen
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
https://avoicereclaimed
A Lawyer's Prayers 