God Gives Us What the Government Can Never Give - Part One
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” 1 Corinthians 12:13 (KJV)
Hello, my fellow blog recipients! This is Bernard, the Baby Boomer, with this week’s blog. Now a “Baby Boomer” is generally defined as an individual born between the years 1946 and 1964 during the post–World War II baby boom. When I was growing up, I remember the government giving me and my family Government cheese. As a child, I always wondered why the cheese did not come from the local supermarkets like A&P or Piggly Wiggly. Also, my grasp of the government, that is the form or system of rule by which a state, community, etc., is governed, was extremely limited as a four-year-old child.
There are a few things that I can recall about this Government cheese. One, it was a huge block of cheese that required both hands to hold it. Two, it was orange in color, and it tasted like a combination of Velveeta and American cheese. Three, was good for grilled cheese sandwiches. And the best thing about Government cheese: it was free! However, if you were lactose intolerant - look out!
Government cheese is a commodity cheese that was controlled by the US federal government from World War II to the early 1990s. It generally was given to welfare, food stamp recipients and the elderly receiving Social Security in the United States. Government cheese was also created to maintain the price of dairy products when dairy industry subsidies artificially increased the supply of milk, creating a surplus that was then converted into cheese, butter, or powdered milk. The cheese, along with the butter and dehydrated powder, was stored in over 150 warehouses across 35 states.
In a subjective sense, Government cheese was also attributed to getting something free from the Government. Technically, there is nothing free from the Government because it is supported and and maintained by Joe and Joann public (tax-paying citizens). Conversely, our Father God reveals to us in His word (the Holy Scriptures) that He gives us what the Government can never or will ever give us as His children.
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” 1 Corinthians 12:13 (KJV)
In other words, for followers of Jesus Christ, our spirit (rationality and mental disposition) does not come from the world. The term “the world” refers to customs, manners, secular principles, and thought patterns employed by the culture. The course of this world (the present evil world) also includes the carnal state or corruption of the earth.
“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” Galatian 1:3-4 (KJV)
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Ephesians 2:1-3 (KJV)
I invite you to take this topic up with me again next week when we will consider a few of the things that God has given us which the government can never give.
For the Glory of God,
PBKSR