Lessons from a Mint Plant

Recently, my wife bought a mint plant.  When she bought it, I advised her that it should be planted in a container.  You see, if a mint plant is not planted in some sort of container, it will become a weed.  It is an invasive plant.  It can quickly take over an area, choking out other plants and requiring constant efforts to keep it under control.  That mint plant was placed in a pot and is doing marvelously, but it looks as if it would love to escape its container and go wild.

Our Federal government is like that mint plant.  Our Founding Fathers wisely placed its newly formed government into the container of the U.S. Constitution, knowing full well that if the government managed to get outside that Constitution, it would grow out of control.  The Constitution was intended to limit the size and scope of the Federal government.  Unfortunately, our Federal government has become a weed.  It has escaped its container.  It has become invasive.  Folks like me are working hard to keep it from becoming worse, but we are apparently outnumbered by those who simply do not care, or they actually like the weed.

We hope to enjoy our mint plant.  Its aroma is terrific, and it can be used in many delicious recipes.  I also have been told that well-placed mint plants can help prevent ants from entering your home.  However, the really important object that will make that plant remain useful to us is the container.  The same is true in our country.  The government will only be a blessing if it remains within the confines of the Constitution.

Think about this the next time you go to the polls.

Just Suppose....

Consider this scenario:  A fence is constructed to divide our country into two areas.  On one side all liberals are placed and are directed to govern themselves.  On the other side all conservatives are placed and given the same instruction.  Independents are permitted to watch this scenario for a while before deciding on which side to live.

Two questions:
1.  Eventually, on which side would most independents choose to become residents?
2.  Which direction would people go as they climb the fence to get to the other side?

Is Culture Driving the Church?

    Let me start this rant by stating that since the bad decisions made by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, all people (with only one exception) have been born into sin.  People have been sinning ever since.  They continue to sin today.  And sin will continue until Jesus returns on the Last Day.
     I believe with all my heart that the writers of our US Constitution knew this fact and wrote that document with that fact in mind.  They knew that a government which would not limit the power given to the people who run it was doomed to fail.  Therefore, the powers that are necessary in a government are separated into different branches.  The Constitution was also designed to limit the Federal government in terms of what areas of people's lives were to be controlled by them.  This Constitution has been the most successful one in world history. 
    I also believe that those framers thought in the back of their minds that someday this document would be misused and could eventually end in failure.  There are countless quotes from these men which warn us to this day about ways that the Constitution could be ruined.  Those warnings have been ignored, and now our Constitution is not only being misused and ignored, but there is even talk of getting rid of it.
    I believe those framers, through prayer and study of God's Word, were guided by God in their writing of that Constitution.  I believe our country was started as a "nation under God" and it continued that way until recent history.  There is much evidence these days that a rather large portion of our country would just as soon be not "under God".  That evidence can also be seen in the way our government is operating now.
    Not only has our country abandoned our Constitution, but there is also evidence that our nation is abandoning God's Word.  That includes many of our churches.  I have come to the conclusion that the culture is guiding many churches in determining their beliefs.  In a reversal of God's intentions, people are justifying their beliefs by saying that the words written in Scripture were meant for a different time and a different culture.  You can easily see how several behaviors which are described in Scripture as being contrary to God's Will are now not only tolerable, but they are condoned, even by our government.
    Our Founding Fathers did not want this to happen, and certainly God is not pleased.  Not enough Americans are familiar with their Constitution, and not enough Americans are familiar with God's Word.  Because God's Word is not allowed in our government schools these days, our children must learn their Bible stories from their parents, their church, or a Christian school.  And since many churches are modifying their doctrines to accommodate what is going on in the culture, our children are not taught God's pure Word.
    The whole situation should be reversed.  God's Word should be guiding the culture, not the other way around.  Is there hope?  We need to remember that God is in control.  That will not change, and for that we Christians can rejoice.  However, that does not guarantee the future of America.  As America drifts away from God's Word, we must rely on God's longsuffering.  God may just need to teach America a lesson, teaching us to return to Him only after He allows some pain into our nation.
    In this climate, I think we are no longer in a position to say "God Bless America".  Why should He?  Instead, I think we should pray words like "God Guide America".  I am a firm believer that when we sincerely give God the honor and praise that we know He deserves, He is very ready to bless us richly.  The same thing goes for our country. 
    God, we need you.  Please guide us.