Tax Dollars and Asphalt
Tomorrow is tax day (for procrastinators). For some taxes mean money back. For others, it is yet another bill...more money out. Probably more this year than most, it is a reminder to many that they don't have money...for rent, bills or taxes.
I don't get money back. I don't really have to pay much at this time of year either. And I am very grateful that I still have money to pay my bills.
Probably because its tax time, probably because we hear much about money and taxes under this new stimulus package and probably because its just the way I am...
...tax time has got me thinking about how my tax money is used.
I think about this most with regards to my property tax. Our monthly property tax payment compares to what many pay in rent each month...where does that money go? Okay, I am told what its used for, but I rarely get to see what its used for. Like many, I want my money to be put to good use, not wasted...I want to see tangible results.
Finally.
The street in front of our condo, from G to F street, is one of the worse I've ever seen. Part asphalt, part concrete, part nothing (cracks, potholes) and mostly a mess of patches. I've grown used to it, rarely noticing how bad the road really is. Until 2 months ago.
One morning a paving company began ripping up the road, "alright, our street is being repaired...tax dollars at work." Wrong. In what seemed to be a very random (and complete waste) and nonsense project, the contractor chewed up a few parts of the street and repaved them that day. More patches.
A couple of days ago, another contractor showed up and I couldn't help but think of more waste. I just kept thinking, if they're going to fix it at all, fix it right...or just leave it.
Today I have a new street, the entire block. Shiny black, 100% asphalt. New paint stripes. No patches, cracks or potholes. I know it's only a street, but it's beautiful.
At least on the outside.
The new asphalt was laid over the existing street. Nothing was removed, just covered up. Yeah, it looks great, but everything I never liked about my street is still there, I just can't see it.
It might make me feel better for awhile. I might get compliments or come across as having it all together. People may notice me. Some may even want to be like me. But I know what's still there. I know what I'm covering up. I know.
And If I really want to see tangible results, really experience something beautiful, I must be willing to do the hard work, the entire job, of dealing with the issues, not just covering them up. Some day, my street will be repaired again. The contractor will have no choice but to rip the whole thing out. He'll shake his head in disbelief that someone else did a cover up job years earlier...and didn't just take care of it then.
So why wait? Why not just deal with your stuff now? The only way to fix it is to deal with it...no cover ups.
This, on the heals of the Easter story and resurrection, is what the gospel is about. It's not about just looking alive on the outside, it's about new life. New creation. Inside and out. And this is why we need to be encouraged to believe in the resurrection...but believing is not enough. We must also be encouraged to live the resurrection, because it brought forth new creation, new potential, new opportunities to live, not as a bunch of cover ups, but as whole, genuine, followers of the Way.
So would we find the courage to uncover whatever it is that we've been prone to hide for too long. And work through it. Would we learn to see ourselves and each other for who we really are, and find it beautiful. And would we care about the streets we walk each day, not for the condition of the asphalt, but for the people, many too who live in captivity to what they cover up.
3 Comments
12:29 PM
I'm a complainer. Not verbally... most say I'm one of the most laid back people they know. I generally am. But some things, and some times rather than complain, or verbalize my thoughts, I simply judge. 'Why are they doing it like that?' 'They are so dumb, why not do this, or that?'I ought to offer helpfull ideas and suggestions, rather than silent judgements, or verbal criticisms.
10:52 PM
I struggle with porn, on a regular basis. It's a problem, and very cyclical. I'll make good strides for awhile, but always come back to it. There's a degree to which I've trained myself not to feel anything about it - remorse or regret. I'll sometimes have this internal dialogue where I convince myself that God kind of 'owes' me the right to just run free in my thought & visual life because of sacrifices in other areas of my life for purposes related to his kingdom. And I know that's not right, and I don't want to be a hypocrite. It's a real struggle and one that I want to overcome.
8:33 PM
Great stuff...and right on - what we cover up will one day be revealed, either now or in heaven...better to deal with it now.
- Ed
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