The Cost of Solidarity--a Christmas Story

President Obama announced that is is now in the Health
insurance exchange while on a golf holiday in Hawaii

This morning it was widely reported (see Washington Post article here) that President Obama has signed up for a Bronze level health care insurance on the Government exchange website as a 'sign of solidarity' and which the White House has characterized as 'symbolic'.

The deadline for enrolling and still have coverage by January 1st has been pushed back to Midnight, December, 24, 2013, promising to be a real Christmas present for those who have procrastinated.

The Post article referred to the announcement and the political side-swipes which led up to the announcement as "political theater" as the president actually had aids complete the application for him and will never use the coverage he is purchasing for $400/mo ($4800/yr) because he is covered by the military which is exempt from entering into compliance with the ACA.

So my question is this:  If you didn't do the work (filling out the forms) and you won't actually have to live within the constraints of your policy and the money you are throwing away is inconsequential to you, how is this "solidarity" with the people?

For most Americans, throwing away $400 per month to make a point would seem unconscionable, but for someone making $400,000+/year perhaps it truly is merely symbolic. 

What would you do with an extra $400/mo?  Ironically enough, I would pay off some medical bills which have been hanging over my head since 2009 when our church changed to a high deductible health plan which is very similar to the plan Obama bought but will never have to live with. 

Only Time will tell if his symbolic move will have traction with the people or event be remembered in history.

When I hear the word solidarity I immediately remember the Polish Solidarity movement which helped lay the cornerstones of the effort which eventually brought about the demise of the USSR.  Those who joined in that movement did so at extreme peril to themselves and their families in a state where outward opposition to the Government was seen as treason and punishable by long, hard prison sentences or even death.

Lech Walesa

 What allowed the movement its success was that the many who were willing to risk much so pain, oppressions, suffering and atrocities would finally end. They were willing to do this because they had a strong leader, Lech Walesa, who led them in peaceful protest and challenged the government to move against them while the world watched intently on live television.  Welesa was eventually elected as their president and eventually left office amid allegations that he had ordered documents destroyed from the old Soviet era secret police files which may have demonstrated he was actually a communist informer in his younger days.

Today we are on the eve of the only truly selfless act of solidarity ever shown on behalf of mankind; the birth of Christ in Bethlehem.  God gave up his only Son; not so that some would be influenced to follow him.  Not so that the state would treat its people better.  Not so that he could score political points or make good press reports.

God sent his Son to earth to be one of us in order to take our punishment for us.  His goal was to keep us out of the prison of death and damnation by accepting it for himself.  Our Lord lived on this earth knowing full and well what the cost would be.

And he also knew the reward.  It wouldn't be the sight of him sitting on an earthly throne, ruling Israel, as so many of the Jews had imagined.  It wasn't the overthrow of Rome, as so many gentiles had hoped.  His reward is knowing that by his sacrifice you and I could have eternal life, merely by repenting of our sins and receiving his forgiveness.

The ROI (return on investment) on that venture would seem to be very poor by human standards.  We seem to value things in the hear and now.  Very few investors are looking for a payout which may not come in their lifetime.  They want to be able to reap the rewards of their investment.

 But when we think in terms of our life with Christ, the payoff has already begun.  We don't have to wait until the resurrection to enjoy an eternity with Jesus.  That eternity began the day we first believed and was cemented in our baptisms as a sign and a promise that Christ, indeed, will never depart from us or let us fall from him.

Today, lets all ponder the true solidarity of our Lord with human kind and what he did so that we might be free to argue about such silly things as politics, healthcare, and the like.

5 Reasons Millennials Stay Connected to Church - Barna Group

5 Reasons Millennials Stay Connected to Church - Barna Group

As the father of a Millennial who is struggling with the Church, this really interests me.  Moreover, I had the opportunity to recently conduct a memorial service for a Millennial which was attended, largely, by Millennials and it opened my eyes to just how differently they see things than my generation ( Gen. X).

As I conducted the service, I was caught off guard by the the fact that none of them seemed to know the liturgy, nor sang the hymns.  The church was full, yet the Lord's Prayer was little more than a mumble.  They weren't hostile, just seemed to not know what was going on.  Afterward, many of them expressed their appreciation for the service, and I think it was helpful for many of them.  But my eyes were opened to just how foreign our traditional expressions of worship and faith are to this group of young people who are quickly ceasing to remain part of the fabric of the Body of Christ.

So, Church, the question is, what are we willing to do bring Jesus to them, because they simply aren't coming to Jesus any time soon.