Christian Living

---

Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday July 14, 2009

My wife, Joyce, known to our world as "The Great Blonde”" was commenting on the current national scene and as you would expect fiscal realities soon dominated the conversation. The dear one dropped a saying that is as old as the hills and the truth of it is explanation for its endurance. Her comments following the vignette were worth a ticket, though she seemed to enjoy giving away in brief form of the wisdom of the ages.

"If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall."

This information was communicated with the awe Moses must have felt when he started down Sinai with the tablets direct from the finger of God.

Several people in the little group are experiencing the full force of the current economic downturn in our country. These folks are NOT "Big Time Charlie" in their lifestyle, but each had worked in factories, several of which had moved to foreign soil for reasons too conspiratorial for mention here, and these folks had enough time in to retire. They did well, not incurring more debt after retirement, living well within their means and making a serious contribution of time, talent and treasure to the Lord’s work, along with spoiling grandchildren.

In recent days three homes in the group had fallen under the hammer of the sheriff's auction due to repossession. Others were on the brink. Four were in some phase of bankruptcy due to the shrinking value of retirement investments and skyrocketing medical bills.

Joyce stated, "While my little attention getter is true, it is also true that the downfall of the people here is the result of other people living high on the hog and you are suffering as a result of their wasteful habits. The upkeep of fat cat bureaucrats in business and government has put you in or near the poorhouse and the people who did this to you are now losing a million dollars a year in salary, which is a terrible price to pay, seeing as they now only make $49 million per year. Remember many names when you vote."

While her "audience" had made the mistake of asking, they learned some helpful things and one is, as she said, based on biblical truth; "If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall and can potentially hurt many innocent people. And remember what Abraham Lincoln's mother taught him, 'Abe, you can't borry your way of out of debt.'" I haven't heard her pull out the Lincoln bit for years, so she is really serious. We should all be very serious in our fiscal area in these times.

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 22:7 "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."

Commenting on this verse Matthew Henry wrote: "Some sell their liberty to gratify their luxury." In these times we must pray for our land and for one another.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2009 Use with credit

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE