What real healthcare looks like.
Politicizing Jesus Christ is something of a cottage industry in America. As mentioned earlier, He seldom spoke about the politics of His day. Nevertheless, fishing for any and all signs Jesus is on our side in any given debate remains an all-too popular pastime.
The present debate over healthcare reform has risen to a fever pitch (no pun intended). Both sides have freely invoked the name of Christ Jesus as part of making their arguments pro and con. It's a mite difficult to believe both can be correct in so doing. So which is it? Is Jesus with the progressive Democrats demanding a public option and to a degree the institution of a single-payer system, more conservative Democrats urging the adoption of a far less intrusive government plan, the Republican doctrine rejecting both of the above, or what?
Let's see what Jesus has to say on the subject.
Jesus was a strong proponent of the single-payer system. However, His definition of the term has nothing to do with the current definition of the term, this being the establishment of a system in which all Americans pay via taxes into one central fund, managed by the government, from which all payments toward healthcare are drawn.
Instead, He paid for all of us on the cross.
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13)."
Jesus was a fervent supporter of health care being universally available. However, He wasn't looking at it in terms of either government-supplied coverage or health insurance providers being required to extend coverage to all.
He wants us all to find healing in His love.
"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30)."
Jesus proposed a proactive approach to healthcare, one not waiting for government involvement.
He commands His followers to take care of others.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:31-40).'"
You get the picture. Jesus isn't interested in our political debates on healthcare. He is about the whole person; mind and soul in addition to body.
The fact is neither side can claim Christ is on their side when it comes to healthcare reform. We see the temporal; He sees the eternal. We argue about whether government or private entities can best manage the system. Jesus says all that truly matters goes through Him.
Jesus' love for us is far more intense than even the most heated debate on this matter. Christ's love is far purer than any argument or philosophy can conjure. Should those of us who believe do what He has asked us to do, the result will be far greater than any argument we can add to the debate. By directly helping others, while we cannot solve the healthcare problem by ourselves we can go a very long way toward politely informing both sides they are both wrong. Yes, healthcare is an important issue.
However, there are more pressing matters at hand.
Comments
Very well said. Someone actually asked that question of my senator (Tom Coburn) at a town hall meeting last week. He gave an excellent answer which echoed your sentiments. I'm thankful Oklahoma has at least one decent member of Congress.
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