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Be Generous and Compassionate

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Be Generous and Compassionate Empty Be Generous and Compassionate

Post  fennywest Fri 14 May 2010, 9:17 am



De:24:17: Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge:
De:24:18: But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
De:24:19: When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.
De:24:20: When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
De:24:21: When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
De:24:22: And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.




Watch out for the weak and worn
Widows, foreigners, orphans
Elderly, frail, children- vulnerable
Be generous and compassionate

Give them a hand up, not hand-out.
Believe that we need each other
Remember you were once slaves
In bondage in Egypt- foreigners

Look out for those isolated
Those alone in a sea of heads
Reach out for them; visit them
Reassure them, defend and fend for them.
Be sensitive towards them, pray for them
Be inclusive of them, fellowship with them.



One of the key issues in the last general election in Britain was Immigration. There were strong opinions within the previous opposition and the populace that Labour did not handle the issue properly, resulting in the influx of foreigners which has put huge burden on public services and increased the financial burden of the state.

The New Conservative- Liberal coalition, certainly have a problem in their hands. Whilst trying to grapple with the huge budgetary deficit of 193billion and a national debt of almost a trillion it is easy to blame it all on foreigners and make ill-considered immigration laws to curb the influx of foreigners.

Whereas we need to discourage those who see UK as a soft touch and come in as economic migrants to abuse the system, we must also take into consideration the fact that we have an aging population whose welfare is dependent on those who are working. And it is the foreigners that have many children who will eventually fund the welfare system of the future. So it is clear that we need each other.

Furthermore, whilst trying to hound foreigners who are abusing the welfare system, we must also look at the indigenes who are also abusing the system by pretending to be sick and claiming sickness benefits or claiming unemployment benefits whilst they have no intension of working.

The word of God is clear about the way we treat foreigners, the elderly and orphans: with consideration, compassion, fairness and justice. If this is true of the society we live in, how much more the church we attend.

In every Church there are those on the fringe- the elderly, foreigners, the weak, and frail, children. God wants us to make them feel at home and to take care of them. It does not mean that we make them feel dependent but we can certainly help them to stand on their feet.

Looking at it in a different dimension, we would come across those who are struggling with issues we have already overcome. In other words they are still slaves to certain vices. It is our duty to pray for them, counsel them and teach them, share our testimonies with them until the penny drops and they too are liberated like we have been. Remember: we too were once slaves.



Application
How does this apply to me?
I was once a foreigner, an illegal immigrant in Ireland and was there for 8 years and not allowed to work because of my immigration status. God used Christians and compassionate people to look after me.

Before then I was in the UK for almost 7 years here I also had immigration problems for working without a work-permit. So I have been there. I know what it means to go underground and constantly afraid of what may happen to you any day. It was the grace of God that I survived all that.

Now all that is in the past as the Lord has changed my status and I am now a citizen of the UK.

It is easy to forget where I have come from. I was once a ‘slave’ and ‘outsider’ so I need to be very compassionate towards hardworking honest illegal immigrants. I need to pray for foreigners, fighting against any unjust laws designed to oppress them.

Similarly those who were in their shoes and have now found acceptance should remember where they have come from and be sensitive, compassion and just.

We need each other to forge ahead and become better.


appendix

UK National Debt - how Britain owes over £900 billion
It's a truly frightening figure. Why is the world's sixth richest country so deeply in debt?
Every year the UK runs a large budget deficit. The Government spends more money than it can tax, so we plug the gap by selling bonds to investors at home and abroad. These bonds - known as gilts - have to be repaid in full, with interest. Added together, our unpaid loans make up the UK's national debt.
Right now, that debt is growing violently. The Government forecasts it will soar to an eye-watering £1.1 trillion by 2011. To put that in perspective, the UK went bust in 1976 running a budget deficit of 6% of GDP. In 2010 that deficit is going to top 12%.
http://www.debtbombshell.com/

Britain can benefit from immigration, but not uncontrolled immigration. Look at any aspect of life today and you will see the contribution that migrants have brought, and not just to the economy. We want to continue to attract the brightest and the best people to the UK, but with control on the overall numbers coming here.
A Conservative government will reduce net immigration to the levels of the 1990s – tens of thousands a year, instead of the hundreds of thousands a year under Labour.

Our immigration policy is based on four strands:


  • We will introduce an annual limiton the numbers of non-EU economic migrants allowed to work here, taking into consideration the effects a rising population has on our public services and local communities. The limit would change each year to take into account the wider effects of immigration on society;
  • We will work to prevent illegal migrationwith a dedicated Border Police Force to crack down on illegal immigration and people trafficking;
  • We will introduce important new rules to tighten up the student visa system, which at the moment is the biggest hole in our border controls; and
  • We will promote integration into British society. There will be an English language test for anyone coming here from outside the EU to get married.
A Conservative government would also apply transitional controls as a matter of course for all future EU entrants.
http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/Where_we_stand/Immigration.aspx

After tackling the vast national debt - which means every child in Britain is born owing £23,000 - smashing the state monopoly on education by allowing parents, charities and businesses to run their own schools will be the central plank of the 'people power' manifesto.
But a key section of the document, seen by the Daily Mail, seeks to address claims that the Conservatives have shied away from the issue of immigration, which polls suggest is second only to the economy among voters' concerns.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265515/Conservatives-pledge-cut-number-migrants.html
fennywest
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