(1 Timothy 1:5-6)
Paul wrote these words 2000 years ago, and they are as true today as then. Politicians who spend their days in endless discussions are not worth our time. Those who speak in love, whose lives are framed by purity, clarity and faith deserve our votes. They can advance a future for our nation.
I’d like to talk about generosity today. Let me explain it this way. Generosity is not giving people what they want. That will run a country into the ground. Giving out checks every time we turn around isn’t helpful. It hurts. It makes people dependent and wasteful. Wiping out debt isn’t helpful. It makes people irresponsible. When we don’t have to earn the things we own, they become throw-away possessions. One week they’re treasures and the next they’re trash. Giving people what they want isn’t the way to go. Telling people what they want doesn’t work either. That’s a form of socialism that hasn’t worked for the last 100 years. People get tired of not being able to choose for themselves. It’s not a gift if it’s forced. Robbing people of what they have so that more can be given away doesn’t work either. This is the work of lotteries and casinos. They rob the poor with the prospect of making a few people rich. In truth, they are the only ones who profit. No, true generosity comes from a place of love and self sacrifice. Only the leader who is willing to set aside his own wants and needs will be able to lead a people to financial stability.
True generosity comes in the form of a leader being able to anticipate need and provide a means to satisfy it.
Issue 2 on the Arkansas ballot perfectly illustrates my point. One side is represented by a group of faithful people in Pope County who’ve fought the casino interests for five years now, and they’ve succeeded in stopping a casino from being built there. That’s more than any other county in our state can say. This year they’ve written an amendment that would prevent what’s happened in their county from happening in any of our other counties. It’s a faithful bill written in love with a desire to protect people, not profit off of them.
The other side is represented by a mob of money hungry groups and individuals masquerading behind a fake generosity. They say Issue 2 robs AR of roads and schools and things we need. All things, I’ll remind you, we had before the casinos existed here. Issue 2 doesn’t rob anyone. It keeps profiteering men and interest groups from gaining off of our loss.
I don’t believe hate is a strong enough word to describe how I feel about the gambling industry. Y’all know this about me. It’s not the people. I love people. It’s the mission of the business. Any business designed to compel people to realize their dream of wealth through games of chance where the owner, not the player, is the primary beneficiary, is evil. Ponzi schemes come to mind. I realize they’re not the same, but they were outlawed for the same reasons.
My point is this, gambling is wrong for the same reason that real, genuine generosity is right. Leaders who lead by crippling their followers should not be in office, but they are and continue to be because of a false sense of loyalty. They’ve convinced their followers they are meeting their needs. But just like the gambling industry, the leaders invent the needs before they meet them OR they manipulate people by showering them with unneeded gifts. Truly generous leaders are different. They aren’t as quick and fluid with their gifts, but the gifts they do give matter.
Don’t be fooled by false generosity. Look for candidates who give because they follow a vision of meeting needs, not wants.