A spiritual revolution

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Showing posts with label Government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Government. Show all posts

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Government's Role?



For those who want more government, here is something to think about. When government creates government jobs, we must remember they are not jobs that create or generate money. Every time the government creates another government agency it must have an equitable response in the private sector.

Let me explain. Since government jobs are solely dependent upon jobs in the private sector for income as a result of taxation, then every time government creates a job within itself then there must be a creation of multiple jobs in the private sector to support it. Herein lies the problem. When government is creating jobs within itself outpacing the growth of employment in the private sector, you then have the inevitable of raising taxes on everyone. Government then becomes larger and the people become financially oppressed, economic growth comes to a standstill, government portrays itself as the answer when in fact they are the problem.

It is not the government’s role to create jobs. It is the private sector’s responsibility. It’s interesting that government is the one who has stifled job growth by it’s over burdening in taxation and regulations and now wants to come in and save the day by creating jobs. This is an amazing concept. I create a problem, and then I create the solution. What’s more amazing is, the solution is more taxation and regulation and somehow what has created the crisis will miraculously become the solution. I thought about this and came up with an illustration. I tell my son “I expect ten bushels of beans out of this garden, but you can’t plant within twenty feet of the stream, ten feet of the fence, and ten feet of the yard.” My son says, “Dad, I can’t get ten bushels of beans if you expect all of these regulations to be obeyed.” I reply “that’s ok son, I have the solution, don’t plant within thirty feet of the stream, fifteen feet of the fence, and twenty feet of the yard.” My son looks at me dumbfounded and leaves scratching his head at this load of wisdom. I must admit, I feel like my son in this story when it comes to our federal government. Referring to the eighties, some people called it the decade of greed; I called it capitalism at its finest. Government downsized, deregulation happened, tax cuts took effect, and a funny thing happened – business prospered and jobs were created by the private sector. How, you may ask. Government got out of the way! Ronald Reagan said it best “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.”


“A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul” - George Bernard Shaw


When man fell in the garden, he became self-centered and self-conscience instead of being God-conscience. Therefore, it is man’s tendency to gravitate towards things that satisfy himself at the expense of others. When a nation’s political leaders look at politics as a career, then security of that position becomes a priority. Conviction of principles will become compromised when financial security, and the intoxication of people’s opinion come in conflict with them. It takes a strong moral disciplined person to resist the temptations of a political life. As a result of a lack of moral stimuli in many politicians today; they are willing to sell the future of this nation at the expense of the present. This brings us to the timeless truth that George Bernard Shaw spoke many years ago, “A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.” Irresponsible and selfish politicians will play on the whims of an irresponsible and selfish citizenry to keep itself in power. The problem is that eventually you will run out of enough Peter’s to pay all the Paul’s. As parents do with children; you have to do what is right regardless of their crying. Children are immature and irresponsible thus they only live for the present gratification while totally ignoring the future consequences. America is turning into a quagmire of adolescence. Free handouts are now looked at as a right and most people think government exists to provide these freebies. I think I remember a president once saying, Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” 

I don't think people realize how dangerous this situation in America truly is. It cannot sustain the current path it is on. Something must change! That change will have to begin at the home and not in Congress or the White House. This problem didn't start in Washington, it started in the homes of America. Everybody screamed at the removal of prayer from our schools. However, let's be honest, it left the homes long before the schools. We need to teach our children responsibility, ethics, morals, and a renewed sense of national pride again. America needs to return to its biblical foundation and once again fulfill:  


 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.


The irresponsible behavior of children not corrected by parents eventually become the future political generation. The blame game, and throwing the responsibility off on each other in government in their meager attempts at being the innocent compassionate person or party, is laughable until you realize their indecisiveness costs us money.  The following story seems appropriate when pondering on the behavior of our government. 

Consider this story told by Bernard L. Brown, Jr., president of the Kennestone Regional Health Care System in the state of Georgia.


Brown once worked in a hospital where a patient knocked over a cup of water, which spilled on the floor beside the patient's bed. The patient was afraid he might slip on the water if he got out of the bed, so he asked a nurse's aide to mop it up. The patient didn't know it, but the hospital policy said that small spills were the responsibility of the nurse's aides while large spills were to be mopped up by the hospital's housekeeping group.

The nurse's aide decided the spill was a large one and she called the housekeeping department. A housekeeper arrived and declared the spill a small one. An argument followed.

"It's not my responsibility," said the nurse's aide, "because it's a large puddle." The housekeeper did not agree. "Well, it's not mine," she said, "the puddle is too small."

The exasperated patient listened for a time, then took a pitcher of water from his night table and poured the whole thing on the floor. "Is that a big enough puddle now for you two to decide?" he asked. It was, and that was the end of the argument. 

Bits & Pieces, September 16, 1993, p. 22-24.
Reuben Egolf

Leading Nations


Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Habit is a Motivator



The power of habit is a motivator for trust.

Why don’t people question or wonder if the sun will rise in the morning? It has erased all questioning, wonderment, and second guessing by the power of habit. When we as leaders are habitual in our ethical practices we will erase all suspicion and wonderment concerning our motives. Habit is produced and exercised from our character and is motivated by our core values and principles. Our belief system and code of conduct is what propels our actions in a consistent manner. Habits are repetitions of action that have become knee-jerk responses from the well worn grooves in our minds.

Habits are not a destiny but they are the means by which a destiny is achieved. The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, becoming more productive, facilitating  social change, becoming a better leader, and achieving success will be by habit. Once leadership consistently makes decisions that are ethical, and this pattern is imprinted on the minds of the citizenry, then leading that nation, community, or city will be the result of the force of character. When people trust leadership, the morale and mood of the country improves, and a calmness will ensue.

People like leadership to be predictable. They want to know that every time they can trust them to make the moral decisions with the public’s best interest at heart. Predictability in leadership is not boring but a consistent pattern of behavior that captures the whole of society and moves them forward. Habitual moral and ethical behavior will silence the critics without wasting time in debate. Integrity will embarrass the irresponsible attacks of the opposition. In other words, character and integrity leaves such giant footprints that it swallows the shallow meaningless attacks of those looking for a little hill to make a mountain out of it.

Leaders should always remember that it is easier to maintain character than to rebuild a reputation.
Fame is a vapor,
Popularity an accident.
Riches take wings.
Only one thing endures,
Character.
– Horace Greely

Monday, July 27, 2015

Protect Your Character and Your Character will Protect You!





Character is defined by Webster's as:
  • the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves: someones personality
  • a set of qualities that are shared by many people in a group, country, etc.
  • a set of qualities that make a place or thing different from other places or things

Character is the sum total of our values which are established by our priorities, convictions, beliefs, and our habitual disciplines. The strength of these characteristics is what defines our integrity. Ultimately, the level of my integrity is determined by my words and actions being consistent.

Character along with its integrity cannot expect any kind of success without self-discipline. This necessary ingredient of self-discipline involves me setting priorities that ultimately determine my choices and then directs my behavior. Character is formed and shaped by our personal submission to these principles. In other words, we should be the same person behind closed doors as we are in public.

Why is character so important?


The higher you go in the atmosphere the greater the pressure. If a person goes up too fast, they will collapse because the pressure on the outside is greater than what the inside can handle. The higher a person goes in position, the more responsibility will be required of them. If a person's character does not match the pressure on the outside, they will eventually collapse under the weight of something bigger than their character can sustain. In leadership we call this the “shooting star” syndrome. A person is gifted and they soar to the top overnight, however, their character has not been built to sustain them in that position. Charisma can get you in the room but make no mistake about it – your character will determine how long you stay! This is why the following verse was penned.

1 Timothy 3:6 (KJV) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

God has no problem with a person being promoted. He simply wants to be the one to do it.

James 4:10 (KJV)  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

In God’s Kingdom, when you lose or violate your character you forfeit the right to use the gift God gave you. Notice I said the “right” to use it. That doesn’t mean I can’t use it, but if I do use it in that condition, I will promote myself instead of the Kingdom of God. A deteriorated character will prostitute the gifts to be self-serving instead of benefiting others. Ministers and leadership have to be careful of the temptation of seeing people as serving them instead of serving the people.

This brings us to the conclusion that character is more important than intellectual prowess, gifts, orator skills, positions, and money. Character will protect the ministry, influence,  a person’s life, reputation, and eventually the legacy that is left behind. Not only does character protect me, but it shields others around me.

Sow a thought, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny. 

Protect your character and your character will protect you!

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Integrity - The Foundation of a Nation


 It is not the political maneuvering and mere titles that affect a nation to become something better than it currently is. It all starts somewhere and it begins with leadership INTEGRITY.  The integrity of leadership is the rock which a country anchors itself to. It provides stability, protection, and a hope for a better future. Interestingly, forces for change are found within leaders whose character doesn’t change. A country’s economic and social progress does not happen automatically as a big bang theory of national success. It begins with leadership and their integrity!

When an earthquake happens you will see yellow caution tape placed around certain buildings, warning of the possible danger of collapse. The authorities will use the phrase “the integrity of this building has been compromised.” It is now to dangerous to interact with it. Integrity is measured by how much pressure the individual or thing can withstand before compromising and becoming weak which can lead to collapse. When it comes to people, integrity is the consistent adherence to a set of values and morals.

The current congress of the United States started 2015 with an approval rating of just 16%. According to Gallup, 3 out of 4 Americans (76%) disapprove of the job of Congress. Why? The answer is quite simple; saying one thing in a campaign and doing another once in office betrays the trust of the people. A divorcement happens between citizen and politician and instead of working and collaborating together to make a nation better, it becomes a polarized environment. It is not mere partisan politics but it is the politician and people being at odds that create the toxic environment that breeds no movement or progress.

 Leadership of nations need the cooperation of the citizenry to accomplish the vision and goals it has set before them. People willingly follow when they can trust leadership. The foundation of trust is integrity. Charisma grabs the attention of people but character sustains their gaze. Ultimately they follow in agreement because of character and integrity which has produced in their heart “I trust you!” Even when they may not understand completely all of the “ins and outs” of legislation and political tools to get somewhere, but because they trust you, they will share the dream.

Integrity is not created overnight but is the result of being forged in the fires of adversity. When a person does not agree with you on a certain subject, they will respect you because of your integrity. That gives you the opportunity to be heard at all times. Honor permits influence to take place. Integrity creates the opportunity for honor – honor blows the wind of influence – influence provides the movement to achieve the goal.

Integrity is attractive. For example, when a fruit tree bears fruit it does not bring you the fruit. You are attracted to the tree. It in itself becomes a force of influence that draws people to you and your vision instead of driving them away.

Remember, a thousand right acts can be nullified by one wrong. One lie can call into question every truth I ever told. Integrity is worth every storm of temptation you have to endure to maintain the necessary influence.

Good Advice

Keep your promises, even when it’s not convenient. Value the making of promises equal to your life. In other words be willing to die before breaking your promises. Don’t speak things you don’t intend to do. Be done with careless speaking by realizing the weight of words and their impact. It is always wise to think before you speak.

 Proverbs 2:21
21  For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect (one with integrity) shall remain in it.

Dr. Reuben Egolf

Friday, July 3, 2015

Real Talk about Racial Issues


The moment I determine someone’s value by the color of their skin, ethnicity, or social and economic status, I have just imprisoned the effects of their potential on my life. In other words, when I hate the surface I also reject the gift on the inside.

Society must stop allowing surface issues from dictating life’s choices and start permitting honor to be the mandate of life. This breakdown happens when decisions are made about one’s value based on taught stereotypes which are produced from those who hold accountable an entire population for the actions of a few. They forcibly hold hostage entire ethnic groups because they made the assumption that the reason a certain perpetrator did what they did was the result of their skin color or ethnic background. Nothing could be further from the truth!

The color of one’s skin or ethnic background has no ability to cause a person to commit a crime or wreak havoc on society. It’s what is on the inside – the condition of heart and one’s perspective and lens concerning the value of others. Where do these perspectives come from? They are not innate but they are taught from childhood forward from parents and educational systems. Education imparts knowledge which in turn creates a lens for the individual to look through. This is the power of education and child training. 

Dorothy Law Nolte wrote in Children Learn What They Live (1998) the following.
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
It is incumbent upon all of us to create an environment in our homes conducive to fortifying the lens in our children to see others as valuable and as equals. Teach them to realize that when a crime is perpetrated on humanity that it is the result of the person’s character and not the color of skin or ethnicity. 

 Treat others the way you want to be treated

                                         President & Vice President of the Human Rights 
                                         Global Congress Ambassador Dr. Clyde Rivers 
                                         and Dr. Reuben Egolf

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Acting Civilized in a Volatile World - Charleston Tragedy



The heinous and horrific act of violence perpetrated on the Charleston community is unconscionable. It is now obvious this was motivated by a racist individual. He killed nine people plummeting their families and community into total despair simply because he felt it was justifiable to take the lives of people based upon their skin color.

What do we do in an aftermath of such proportions? I want to first list things we shouldn't do at a time like this before offering the solutions of what we should concentrate on accomplishing.

We must remember that the actions of a few do not speak or represent the whole. Each criminal must be held responsible for their own actions and not permit them to hold society hostage as being responsible for their actions. For example, a woman who drives her car into a lake and drowns her four children does not represent or speak for all mothers. A man who kills his wife does not speak for all husbands. A gang of certain ethnicity committing atrocities do not speak for the entire ethnic group. A young white man driven by racial hatred murdering nine black people in a church does not speak for all white people.

The community of Charleston does not need pundits, radio talk show hosts, and activists flying in from all over the country speaking inflammatory rhetoric. We need to be more responsible and realize our concern should be about healing the wounds and not pushing an agenda at the expense of stability. 

We have a choice to make in America. Permit these situations to be exploited by self-interest groups and activists looking to pimp the circumstance into a financial windfall and fame, thus creating division and deepening racial divides? Or, are we going to come together and overcome evil with good?

What needs to happen?

The families of the victims and their community need support, comfort, and an outpouring of love from all of us. This is not the hour for screaming in the streets and inciting violence ruining businesses and property. It is keeping it in focus - others do not have to pay for one person's decision. That person is held accountable and not a whole race, religion, or ethnicity. We must operate with a degree of civility and reasoning without the knee-jerk reactions that are stirred by those who have hidden agendas.

Are their cultural environments conducive to bad behavior?

Of course there is. Racial, religious, and ethnic intolerance is found in every culture and nation of the world to some degree. Things grow because there is soil to sustain it. If you change the soil then what is produced changes. Changing the soil through proper education and the instilling of morals will create a culture of valuing each other which in turn produces a bedrock for societal cohesiveness. A fish thrives in water because it is an environment that contains everything it needs to survive. Take the fish out of its environment and it dies. Will racism and all forms of bigotry be totally eradicated? No, but we can have an environment that creates little to no possibility for growth, thus isolating their perspectives and ideologies beyond the moat of reasoning. This will translate into loss of influence and opportunity for these who propagate such intolerable thinking that leads to despicable behavior.   

The importance of education  is indisputable in its value to constructing a generation. Information becomes the hinge that swings the door of opportunity to a land of progress. However, as with all things in life, this demands balance, because when educating people and yet forgetting the instruction of morals is inadvertently creating  a danger to national and international stability. Think about Nazi Germany as an example. It was the land of some of the most educated minds and technology such as Einstein and Mercedes-Benz and yet it produced a Hitler. Educators today must realize the importance of serving students information and increasing their knowledge, but also assisting them in developing their character, which is necessary in being a positive contributor to society.

Steve Johnson wrote
The ideal that schools should produce people who are both smart and good has a venerable tradition in the United States. Most children in 19th century America learned their ABC’s from McGuffey Readers, which were replete with stories of honesty, self-reliance, and courage. The Readers’ author, William H. McGuffey, was a professor of moral philosophy at the University of Virginia. But by the early 20th century, schools were beginning to lose their comfort with such moral indoctrination. As America became a more pluralistic society, it was harder to come up with a shared notion of good behavior. Given the lack of agreement, moral education, it was argued, was best left to the individual child’s family and religious institution. By the late 1970s, character development had all but disappeared as a goal of American public schools.
My contention is that there is a common meeting ground for all people to agree on in a pluralistic society. It will also promote moral behavior that reaches across all ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious lines. There is a shared ethic that can be the guiding principle for all. I’m using the above example concerning the United States, but it is applicable for all peoples or all nations of the earth. What is this common denominator that can erase the tension of offense and conflict of personal philosophy and religious slants? It is none other than the Golden Rule – treat others the way you want to be treated.

What if parents along with the educators of every nation adopted this philosophy of life? Surely all would agree with it and it would be the bridge and connection that would provide a seamless uninterrupted flow of unity becoming a powerful force in affecting the next generation. Think about it! What if children and youth are being taught to filter every interaction with another human being through the golden rule before they act? It becomes the basis of life and what they build their life upon and the moral compass that provides concrete direction for their lives. Can you imagine a child on the playground who emotionally becomes riled at another classmate, but before hitting the other, the voice of instruction sounds in their head “treat others the way you want to be treated.” If the child persists beyond the conscience of restraint that has been taught since birth and assisted by educators, and hits the other, the educator can immediately ask the perpetrator “is that how you want to be treated?” Use it as a teaching moment before the punishment is meted out.

Would this be hard to implement?

Not at all! Let’s unify and begin a media blitzing campaign through all available media outlets and take advantage of this small world created by technology. We can use the golden rule principle which is found in every major religion, culture, and the constitutions of nations. They all have it in one form or another. All that is needed is a network of people to get the job done – are you one of them?