於2014-01-02發佈

大使命51

為我們的領袖禱告

一想到我從每週一話系列所收到的回應,我完全沒預料竟有這麼多人不瞭解馬克斯主義,而且想要知道更多。我相信有許多人也不太瞭解資本主義,很令人鼓舞的是,竟有這麼多人想要對這些事物有更深入的瞭解。我相信這是聖靈的工作,祂『參透萬事,就是神深奧的事也參透了』(參考哥林多前書2:10)。凡是被聖靈引導的人不會只想瞭解皮毛,他們總想更多瞭解,特別是在我們時候的主要議題。

儘管馬克斯主義從沒有成功過,甚至無法達成最基本的目標,但正如他們所陳述的,所有國家仍深深被吸過去,包括馬克斯主義宣稱其基本目標是要將公平帶給所有人,但在每一個馬克斯主義接管的國家,他們摧毀了中產階級,提升黨員成為菁英階級,卻使其他人貧窮。馬克斯主義將更多人帶入貧窮,甚至造成上億的人飢荒,遠勝過任何主義曾做過的。任何仍將馬克斯主義視為一項選擇的人,有可能是那些不知道歷史之人的最極端例子,他們注定要重蹈覆轍。

對照之下,當中國最近開始允許資本主義朝著市場經濟前進,許多人在極短時間脫離貧窮,這是在人類歷史上從未發生過的。成千上億的人在短短十年脫離貧窮,這是我們從未見過的。當然俄國、中國與其他前共產主義國家隨著資本主義的興起也有他們要面對的問題,但他們的問題是過度成長而非停滯,就像那些轉向社會主義的人所要面對的一樣。在中國,財富成長快速到就像是脫軌的火車。

資本主義釋放人類的主動性,是沒有任何經濟制度可以比擬的,它有可能會走過頭,引致越來越多的貪婪和浪費。為此緣故,政府要找到平衡點來適度約束並不容易,因此他們常以控制過了頭來回應。他們若有多少控制來完全除去貪婪和浪費,就會有同樣多的控制來熄滅主動性。然而,他們若沒有一些控制,火車將脫軌行駛,就像2008年美國的大崩盤一樣。

2008年大崩盤是少數人和公司貪婪的結果,他們釋放了不是基於實體或產品的投機買賣形式,政府卻允許任其失去控制。於是,正如常發生的情況,我們的政府變得反應過度,開始過度控制經濟。有了來自政府的額外重量,我們的經濟火車幾乎無法前進,而且陷於要完全停擺的危險中。

我們的政府必須調整才能在現代世界裡運作,政府官員必須像美式足球比賽中的執法人員,比賽沒有規則就不開打。執法人員在那裡確保比賽照著規則進行,任何人破壞規則就要處罰。然而,若規則太多,或執行過於嚴苛而有太多處罰,比賽會變得非常挫折與無聊,雙方的選手和球迷很快就會離開。這基本上就是為何如此多的大公司和企業在近幾年離開美國的原因。

老鷹需要左右二翼才能飛翔,二翼皆有其價值。若能保持適度平衡,左右二翼就可以提供最平順的經濟和文化運轉。從2008年起我們的重心轉向老鷹的左邊,使我們無法離地太遠。當我們稍微起飛,最後不過是原地打轉,快速回到原點。當人們甦醒過來知道發生什麼事,另一個挑戰將隨之而來。他們是否有足夠智慧而不過度反應?是否會擺動的太遠而跑到右邊呢?

身為一個噴射機機師,我學會引擎需要停留在飛機參數內,他們若擺動到最大程度,引擎就會分解。我們或許需要更多轉向右邊以回到適度平衡,但我們的領袖需要無比的智慧、勇氣和決心不要跑過頭,特別是現在我們所要面對的國家停擺。聖經並沒有說只要為好的領袖或我們所認同的領袖禱告,而是要為我們所擁有的領袖禱告,他們從來沒像現在如此需要我們的禱告。

(摘自喬納 word for the week, Week 51, 2013)


Pray For Our Leaders,
The Great Commission, Week 51
Rick Joyner

Considering the responses I have received from this WFTW series, I had no idea so many had so little understanding of what Marxism is, and that you would want to learn more. I’m sure many do not really understand capitalism either. It is an encouragement that so many of you want to go deeper in understanding these. I believe this is the work of the Holy Spirit, Who “searches all things, even the depths of God” (see I Corinthians 2:10). Those who are led by the Spirit will not be shallow in their understanding but will always want to go deeper, especially in the key issues of our time.

Even though Marxism has not once been successful in accomplishing even its most basic goals, as they have been stated, whole nations are still gravitating toward it, including the U.S. Marxists claim to have a basic goal to bring equality to all, but in every country that Marxists take over, they destroy the middle class, elevate the party members into an elite class, and impoverish everyone else. Marxism has carried more people into poverty, even resulting in the starvation of tens of millions of people, than has ever been done before. That anyone would still view Marxism as an option is possibly the most extreme example of how those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.

In contrast, when China recently began moving toward a market economy allowing capitalism, more people were raised out of poverty in a shorter period of time than has ever happened before in human history. Hundreds of millions rose out of poverty in just a decade. Nothing like this has ever been seen before. Of course Russia, China, and other former communist countries are having their problems coping with rising capitalism, but they are the problems of extreme growth not stagnation, like those who are turning toward socialism are dealing with. In China, wealth has grown so fast it has been like a runaway train.

Capitalism releases human initiative like no other economic system has ever done. It can go too far and lead to increasing greed and waste. For this reason, it is not easy for governments to find the balance that can help keep these in check, so they often respond by becoming too controlling. If they impose enough control to completely eliminate greed and waste, they will have also imposed so much control that initiative is stifled. However, if they do not impose some controls, the train will run off of the tracks like it did in the U.S. in the 2008 crash.

The 2008 crash was the result of greed on the part of just a few people and companies, which released a form of speculation that was not based on substance or products, and the government allowed it to run wild. Then, as is often the case, our government overreacted and began to over-control the economy. With this extra weight, our economic train is barely chugging along at all and is in real danger of grinding to a complete halt.

We must have government regulations to operate in the modern world. Government officials are supposed to be like officials in a football game. Without rules the game cannot be played. The officials are there to ensure that the game is played by the rules and to penalize accordingly any who break the rules. However, with too many rules, or too many penalties enforced too strictly, the game would become so frustrating and boring that both players and fans would soon walk away from it. That is basically why so many great companies and entrepreneurs have left America in recent years.

An eagle needs both a left wing and a right wing to fly. There is merit on both sides. Kept in proper balance, the left and right can provide the most smoothly running economy and culture. Since 2008 we made such a hard turn to the left that the eagle has not been able to get far off the ground again. When we do rise a little, we end up going in circles and coming back down fast. Another challenge will come when people wake up to what is happening. Will they be wise enough not to overreact and swing too far to the right?

I learned as a jet pilot that even when your engine instruments stay within parameters, if they start oscillating to extremes, the engine is about to come apart. We may need to turn far back to the right to get to the proper balance, but it will take supreme wisdom, courage, and resolve for our leaders not to go too far, especially with the national polarization we now have. It is our job to pray for our leaders. Scripture does not say to just pray for the good ones, or ones we agree with, but the ones we have. They need our prayers like never before.