In This World, Money Is The Answer For Every Earthly Concern
I was having a political chat with a friend recently.
We looked at a particular Scripture in the Bible:
A feast is made for laughter,
wine makes life merry,
and money is the answer for everything.
- Ecclesiastes 10: 19As with anything inspired from Above, reading that entire chapter may grant gems of knowledge that are worth more than any temporal wealth.
I pointed out that money is the answer for everything.
It seemed odd to my friend at first.
We began to delve into a discussion considering certain realities.
As we looked at the past and how the majority of issues between human beings have been 'settled' or resolved, this verse's clarity was realized.
I mentioned to my friend how this teaching about money is quite accurate and true, yet it fails to be considered by those who supposedly 'lead' others, namely political leaders.
How are most violations, or court challenges, or harms, resolved?
By a settlement of sorts, usually in the payment of money.
A government, or a wealthy person, can typically make an issue go away by offering money.
In ancient times in certain parts of the world, 'blood money' was paid to an injured party for the death of someone. and stop a feud from continuing.
There are places still today where blood money is paid.
In such places, the injured party decides whether to accept a payment as a settlement, or for the death of the injuring party - restitution or retribution.
Eye for an eye, unfortunately, still exists on earth in many places, most obvious in people's hearts.
But where God's grace is revealed in Yeshua Christ, restitution is the peace-making solution.
Forgiveness the eternal resolve.
For people who have been injured in ways that an apology from a government may be sympathetic, but not substantial or capable of showing a physical resolve, the payment of money may suffice.
Where one group of people may demand restitution for past crimes, or injustices, or some other malady, the payment of monies is typically the only answer.
When people have their eyes set on the things of this world, money is their answer.
In the U.S., a 'wrongful death' suit (person vs person) is resolved with the payment of a sum of money.
Traffic citations or seemingly insignificant code violations (government vs person) demand money.
When something is desired to be kept private (government to person, corporation to person, or person to person), usually an agreement is signed along with an amount of money exchanging hands.
Letters of apology may move someone to forgiveness, but in this commercial world it is money that seems to comfort certain demands.
In discussing these very obvious realities all around us, I asked my friend why governments do not simply 'pay' to settle a past issues.
Although there are injuries and blame on both (or all) sides of almost any conflict, the admission of fault or guilt is an open door to liability... especially for governments.
When a liability or clear blame is realized, then a claim can be made for some restitution.
It took over 100 years, but certain individuals in the U.S. government admitted certain trespasses of past administrations regarding land and resource management previously occupied by natives residing in what is today called California.
However, the greater crimes of genocide are largely ignored although they are fact-based.
A payout of half a billion dollars over land issues is a start, but what is the value placed on the loss of human life and the murders of forefathers of the descendants?
$1,000 per person?
$100,000 per person?
$1,000,000 or $1,000,000,000 per person?
Natives are not the only victims of the insatiable appetites of individuals, groups, or governments of the past.
Slavery, whether legal or illegal, countless battles and wars domestically or in foreign territories, and the list goes on and on.
Is any place on earth without blood shed, whether over the land or other things less significant?
To blame the current empire for all current conflicts and crimes is to ignore the battles which wage within us all.
Sure, there is blame to be laid at the feet of individuals who cause harm or justify their encroachments of other people's natural rights.
But when such ideals are ignored, or not considered by the aggressors, perhaps the solidarity of peace amongst those subject to aggressions may bring eventual resolve.
Responding to past violence with current violent means is incorrect and simply repeating the same patterns.
Today's victim can easily become tomorrow's victimizer, and then it would from them restitution will be demanded.
Has one person, or one people, treated other persons or peoples with absolute kindness and integrity in all manners and in all situations?
Perhaps very few and not widely notable.
For those situations where an individual is able to act through the office of government, at least there is a start with the payment of monies, the passing of laws, the proclamation of a certain day to commemorate past trespasses and public acknowledgment of the effort to reconcile.
Since money is issued as an agreement predetermined by law between government(s) and people, and is not actually something grown on trees (limited natural resource) but is in fact something 'made' at the will of men, then governments can figure out how to resolve conflicts and issues with money.
Please read this article about money supply, and when you get to the part that says 'a new sum of money is created', please keep reading.
There is a way, according to the wisdom behind the complexities of the money supply, to resolve matters with money without the idea of 'losing' or 'being indebted' unreasonably or without solution.
If you are able to understand that all money in the world is issued as a debt, then you may be able to understand that debt is simply one side of the ledger.
Debt, properly managed, is how the world functions regarding the material world as it relates to the subject of this article.
As the country today known as 'the United States of America' continues to evolve in its interpretation of law, its understanding of its role domestically and internationally, perhaps the past crimes of either its citizens or public officials may be reconciled more quickly.
Perhaps it would not take several generations but only several months to bring resolve and restitution when trespasses occur.
Perhaps, also, when a resolve is met, the underlying notion of forgiveness will bring the greater resolve that the payout of money attempts to bring or at least invites.
As the past is peeled back like the layers of an onion, tears and discomfort is surely to be experienced.
But in order to enjoy the value of what an onion has to offer, the difficult job of that peeling needs to be done.
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