Tag Archives: stewardship

A Letter to Congress

Dear Republican and Democratic leaders,
While the public is distracted by kneeling, standing and tweeting, you are failing in your public service. Only courage will stop the polarizing forces tearing us apart.

Republicans, you were elected so we can have better stewardship of policy and public funds…and you cannot seem to pass any bills of note.

Democrats, you keep drifting to radical extremes while most of America wants a principled middle…can’t some of you propose bills for negotiation and eventual passage? Lock-step voting is a tired excuse for serious labor.

To both parties: Please stop the grandstanding and self-righteousness and start doing your job.

The president is not a king or a savior…and the courts are not legislatures (despite some of both branches antics over the past half-century). Instead of hand-wringing and blame-shifting, start working. I want to believe you have the best interests of our citizens in mind.

Prove it.

 

Truth to Power

“Speaking truth to power.”
A favorite phrase of all protesters.
Dear agitators of all ideologies:
Anger and clichés will not promote a flourishing society.
We need to give up two fantasies: a neo-1950s Americanism (the “good old days”) and socialist utopias (“Marx just hasn’t been applied properly”)

If we aspire for a just society, consider the following…
Truth: Our cities are overwhelmed with infrastructure, pension and welfare obligations and anti-enterprise policies.
Power: decades of political corruption must be overcome.

Truth: Racism still permeates much of our society.
Power: We must face both individual iniquity and institutional injustice. The former must be confronted within particular communities; the latter is the work of the privileged.

Truth: Religious women and men of all faiths that believe in heterosexual monogamy and celibacy for singles are not homophobes, bigots or haters, just trying to live their deepest convictions.
Power: all alternative advocates need to examine their own intolerance.

Truth: We can do better on healthcare, ensuring compassionate and effective services.
Power: Ethics/Standards need to be universal; administration must be local.

Truth: Environmental stewardship and scientific innovation ensure resources for improving economies.
Power: Neither UN symbols or massive deregulation lead us forward – only wise private-public cooperation based on honest data and hope, not propaganda and fear will offer a future.

Truth: Immigration reform is stymied by business and political powers that want cheap labor and subversion of citizenship boundaries.
Power: Hospitable and just policies within Constitutional boundaries can be forged with courage and love.

Dear millions of friends of conscience:
Let’s not only speak, but act. Protesting is easy. Actual change is hard.
One new friendship across the divides, one new act of compassion, one new business providing local jobs, one new church reaching out…let’s begin.

Letters to People of Influence, Part Two: To Public Communicators

In this essay, I present two more letters to women and men in places of political power and service. Our great global need is trustworthy public servants. Too often, we are saddled with persons desiring prestige more than providing stewardship. May we exercise the privilege of voting with wisdom and hold our elected officials accountable.

Dear political foes:

 May we have a conversation and debate with passion and principle but without labeling and libeling?

Unregulated immigration and xenophobia are contrary to a preferred future.

A balanced budget will not starve children.

All refugees deserve compassion, including Christians.

American citizens deserve employment opportunities, college help and access to elections…citizenship should mean something.

Creation care includes wealth creation – and good ecological stewardship means a growing economy for future generations.

We need a conversation on religious liberty, from Christian clerks to Muslim flight attendants. What is reasonable employer accommodation?

Where do we start?

With our personal decisions to love wisely, work hard, care for family and neighbor and seek the good of our children’s generation more than our momentary pleasure.

Dear public intellectuals:

 There is so much cognitive dissonance and moral confusion…

The feds rebuke an employer for obeying the law and checking for citizenship.

Millions are without work while major companies only hire non-citizens.

Fatherlessness is epidemic and colleges demand young men be less masculine. (Yes, we need a biblical understanding between wild and wimp)

A clerk goes to jail but a halal bakery can say no to wedding cakes.

Iran continues to declare destruction while we “delay” nuclear bombs a bit.

Conservatives preach purity and consume porn.

St. James once said, “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways…”

Our public cultures say they want clarity and truth, but what they seem to desire most is self-gratification and moments of charity to assuage their consciences.

Kierkegaard once wrote, “Purity of heart is to will one thing.”

God grant an awakening of single-mindedness.

Four Talks You Can Use

Four exciting new short talks on theology and economics from national leaders are now available. These talks are designed to be used as assignments to help you introduce students to these vital issues in your classes. Featuring dynamic and engaging presentations from highly credible figures, and only 15 minutes in length, these talks promise to be a powerful curricular tool.

Oikonomianetwork Four Talks