Things Are Not Always What They Seem

The link to an editorial on the "Washington Examiner" website said a lot: "The Supercommittee Was a Typical D.C. Charade".   The article read, in part:

To no one's surprise, members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, a.k.a. the Super Committee, announced yesterday that it had failed to agree on a $1.2 trillion debt reduction plan. As a result, no additional spending cuts or tax hikes will go into effect this year. True, there are $1.2 trillion in mandated spending sequestrations that will begin to take effect in 2012, but these are almost guaranteed to be repealed by a future Congress. That being the case, it's difficult not to view the whole super-committee process as a charade intended only to make it appear that Washington was "doing something" to control federal spending, and in the process protect the jobs of incumbents of both political parties.

I think that you have to recognize that, despite political posturing that is taking place, many believe it is not politically advantageous to put into effect a serious plan to curb our government's seemingly insatiable ability to keep increasing itself.   And, as Dan Celia will share later today - it's not a revenue problem - more revenue would be equaled out by more spending, so there's not really any reduction of the deficit.  Experts have observed that even the debt ceiling deal that produced the supercommittee really didn't produce any meaningful cessation of our spending spree, and you just knew by the makeup of that select group that no agreement would be reached, and the blame game has already begun.

As master illusionist Harris III said on this show prior to his recent performance in Prattville, we must be careful to be discerning and look beyond just what our eyes can see and our senses can behold, or else we'll be deceived.   The political culture in America at times seems like a big charade - always saying they'd like to get something done, but often taking the wrong steps and therefore not doing the right thing.   And, inexperienced and inept politicians will do stuff just to appear like they're doing something.    Dan Gainor of the Media Research Center has devoted plenty of words and energy to exposing the Occupy movement, which on the surface seems like a harmless grassroots effort full of people who have been dealt a poor hand by the economy, but who might have a more sinister agenda, as some have pointed out. 

But, while on the surface things may appear one way, the truth may be wholly something different.   Remember Samuel, when he chose David to be king, said that God doesn't look on outward appearance, but on the heart.   Faith is defined as the evidence of things not seen.   So, while it's easy to jump to conclusions based on the information we have or we've heard, quite often there's more to the story.   2nd Corinthians reminds us that there are other forces at work and that we don't engage with flesh and blood:

3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ...

Then he cautions the Corinthians: 7 You are looking only on the surface of things.

Walking by faith and reasoning in faith involves careful thought, prayer, and discernment, not falling for the charades of this world, but exercising Godly wisdom, built by an understanding of God's Word, and adhering to the truth - beyond appearances, beyond merely what we can see on the surface.