Mark 12:6-8
The
most valuable thing most people have is their children. I know kids aren’t
things, but you get my point. It costs over a quarter million dollars to raise
a child to age eighteen and this doesn’t include college! So if you have four
children, and you could get someone else to foot the bill, you could be a
millionaire!
But
even beyond the monetary costs, children are valuable. I some cultures,
children have the responsibility to take care of aging parents. They provide
the labor for the family farm, or other business.
We
used to eat at a wonderful Chinese restaurant when we lived in Columbus,
Georgia. What I found cute was the fact that a small child was often playing behind
the cashier’s counter. Many times family owned businesses, especially
restaurants, had the small children somewhere on the premises. The only way to
make money was to avoid babysitting costs. So, the restaurant became the second
home to the children.
Think
about the time and energy put into raising children. If only you could be paid
to do the raising. Some countries that need children pay their residents to
have them. They need children because they need tax payers. They need people to
replace themselves. But in many of these countries parents are choosing to
delay having children, or in some instances choosing to only have one child,
thus not even replacing themselves in the society.
And
the cost I have outlined quickly don’t even begin to factor infertility
treatments and the cost of abortion. The USA is in financial troubles because
we killed almost 55 million babies since abortion became legal here in this
country. Dead taxpayers, scientists, construction workers, teachers, artists,
chefs, consumers. That is a pretty great drain on any society. No wonder Social
Security ran out of money!
The
owner has sent his trusted employees to collect the rent that is due him. None
of his attempts have worked. He is getting desperate. He thinks perhaps his
last chance will work. He sends his son, his precious only son.
But
the character of the renter has not changed. He wouldn’t pay the rent
previously, so he has no intention of paying it now. His tolerance for violence
has increased. He has already killed at least once, so another killing is not
an issue. He has ‘gotten away’ with his delays before, so perhaps this time he
can finish the collection process once and for all. He’ll just kill the owners
son, the one who will own everything in the future. If he is successful, he
thinks the land will be his. The owner won’t bother to try to collect anymore.
This
is the opposite of integrity. When someone won’t honor their word, their
commitments, their contracts, society falls apart. Trust in other people is
what makes societies function. When there isn’t trust, oppression is the only
way for a society to continue.
Do
we want oppression to keep our society intact? Wouldn’t it be better for all of
us if righteousness reigned, people keep the rules, wrongdoing was punished
swiftly and fairly? How are you at keeping your commitments?