“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money. . . .
Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much,
but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.”

Ecclesiastes 5:10, 12

The Benefits of Local Government

I was recently trying to explain to a friend of mine some of the basic principles upon which I base my philosophy of government. I was amazed to read a verse this morning (which I don’t remember reading before) that seems to explain one of these principle very well.

“If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them” (Eccl 5:8).

Solomon connects the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness with multi-layered bureaucracy that places power further and further from the people. It has been observed throughout history that power has the tendency to corrupt those who have it. Lord Acton wrote, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” His conclusion is that the extent of the power is proportionate to the corruption.

How do we construct a government that reduces the probability of this tendency playing out? By allowing as much power as possible to be held by as many as possible as close to the people as possible. All I’m really talking about here is an emphasis on local government. This gives ownership, responsibility, and accountability to the people and those who lead them. It means that leaders are leading in their own communities so they have a vested interest. The well being of their lives, and that of their family and friends is directly affected by their leadership. And they are directly accountable to the people they are leading.

I would not argue, thought, that there is no need for centralized government and I acknowledge that there are certain matters that are best dealt with at that level. Some believe that an emphasis on local government with more leaders than less is inefficient. I have two responses to this argument. First, I believe local government is much more effective in preventing the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, which is more important than whatever efficiency may be in mind. Second, I would argue that the efficiency of a centralized government is an illusion. The further government gets from the people that it is supposed to be serving, the more resources are required to maintain it.

Two Are Better Than One, part 1

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

As “the Preacher” continues through his list of vanities, he seems to make a few positive observations along the way. Here he explains that two people working and living together are better than one. There appear to be four reasons given for this. First, “they have a good reward for their toil” (v. 9). Two people working together produce more than one. This seems obvious by simple addition. But I think more is in view here. Two people working together will produce more than the same two people working individually. Couples, packs, teams, and communities have a dynamic that is encouraging and motivating.

One reason they produce more is also the next and separate reason two are better than one: “If they fall, one will lift up his fellow.” Two people working together are better than one because they help one another in weakness and failure. People who work together can complement and fill each other out. Sometimes our individual weaknesses and failure become our destruction. But not if someone is there to help us. It’s like a safety net.

This idea is also tied into the work. Its not just the fallen person who would suffer, but the work. In the context of the mission of making disciples, this is a critical aspect to Christian community. It is not an individual task; we are to work together to accomplish it. And so we are called to exhort, correct, restore, forgive, strengthen, encourage, love, pray for, and bear one another up.

There is one other important dynamic to such teamwork: willingness to be helped. “Well, of course, why would anyone not want help?” PRIDE! We don’t even want to admit we have fallen and need help. Independence and self-sufficiency is the virtue of our culture that makes us weak.

Why Do I Work?

“Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of this neighbor” (Eccl 4:4).

I am beginning to see more clearly the genre of this book. It is Wisdom Literature and closely resembles the Proverbs. This is helpful for seeing that some of the challenges of understanding Proverbs apply here. There are times, like in this verse, that we see a generally true observation stated as an absolute maxim. I really don’t think that he means every single person who ever worked did so out of envy. However, it is basically true that humans strive and struggle to find success in this life on earth. They want to be the best at what they do. They want to make enough money to have the best material possessions. They want to be in charge of others. They want the honor of men. And so, the writer concludes, “This also is vanity and striving after the wind.”

I am free from this vain striving in Christ. I am able to serve someone besides myself. I serve the Lord of all creation and I serve the people he created. I work for the benefit of others. And I work for eternal things. I will lay up treasures in heaven, where it will never be destroyed.

“I perceived that there is nothing better for [people] than to be joyful
and to do good as long as they live;
also that everyone should eat and drink
and take pleasure in all his toil–this is God’s gift to man.”
- Ecclesiastes 3:12