By now, you should have some opinion about the partial U.S. Government Shutdown. This is not a closing of any local or state government, so most things are continuing on as usual (at least in the short term). This is not even a shutdown of every aspect of the federal government, as many federal workers are still working and the government has to continue to function in many capacities, as we do not live completely separated from all the other countries in the world. Politicians are still working and we are certainly hearing more of their comments; the IRS is definitely not going to miss taking in revenues! All of the hype in the media makes this seem more like a horrible tragedy. Is it? Are we all or is the entire world in terrible danger? Is this a shutdown tragedy?
To understand this better, one must learn to better understand how government works. I deal with this more in chapter 4–“Lessons for COUNTRY”– of my book (The Virginia Tech Tragedy and My Personal Tragedy: Lessons To Learn From An Insider And From Scripture). Whenever you have a group of people living together in any area, there must be some form of law or government to deal with the differences of opinion and how people can cooperate for greater influence. When there is some interruption or shutdown in the way that any government works, then there certainly will be impacts in the society, perhaps even leading to tragedy of many sorts. Some government is necessary and it can be a blessing or even a curse.
So, what of this latest U.S. Government partial shutdown? Tragedy? Well, it is certainly negatively impacting the lives of millions and will increasingly impact all of us. It certainly does show how partisan or locked up the opinions within the government have become. Our Federal Government is large and it has become increasingly larger in recent years. It is indeed tragic that things have developed to this place of a partial shutdown. Some are not willing to give on their positions. This can be good and it can be bad. Indeed, if our federal government does not get a handle on all the spending and get its fiscal house in order, then it will go bankrupt and collapse, which would be a great shutdown tragedy, definitely impacting each of us and the entire world!
This debate involving this partial shutdown is important and I believe in the end, not so much of a tragedy. The greater debate looming, also tied to this, has to do with the government’s ability to borrow, rather than spend, and is a far more grave deadline. If we can’t borrow more money, we will then default, diminish our credit rating, and then lose our stature and influence as a Country in the world. Were that to happen, a much more dangerous enemy would likely fill that void. That would indeed be a shutdown tragedy! So, the partial shutdown here can be considered tragic for some, but it actually may turn out to be a blessing in the long run.
Friend, we all must be responsible with our money, governments included! We can’t simply give things away to people who will not do their part to be productive in society. There must be a system of law and order. When mankind gets to the place of bankruptcy in our trying to accomplish this (and eventually, we will), Scripture teaches that there will then be a Kingdom that comes in to govern the world in righteousness. The tragedies of mankind-run government will be shutdown, and the Prince of Peace will reign and govern the world and His people with Him. Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is soon returning again. He will then judge the nations and only those individuals who have accepted His forgiveness for their sins will be safe and in His Kingdom.
So, is this partial government shutdown a tragedy? Well, it is an opportunity. There is still time for us to get our fiscal house in order and have longer term health as a Nation! There is this opportunity now for us to also evaluate our relationship with the Creator and be sure that we avoid our own personal shutdown tragedy!
Lessons To Learn Ministries 