Federal budget: Faith reflection

The federal budget is a moral document that reflects and shapes our country’s priorities. Congress should craft it based on the needs of all. In Proverbs (31.9) we are reminded of our responsibility to “Speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy.” While we must work to address growing deficits, the federal budget should reflect a government that provides … opportunity, and a place at the table especially for poor and hungry people….

--Faith Reflection on the Federal Budget (Domestic Human Needs Working Group)

It is important to be good stewards of the resources God has given us. We should seek to be fiscally responsible and look out for the well-being of future generations. We should speak out against waste and corruption. But, we should never be stingy. And those who are financially well-off should not seek to preserve their own well-being at the cost of those who have fewer resources.

Our nation must ensure a place at the table for the most vulnerable among us. Leaders in Congress are currently proposing to cut vital anti-poverty programs that provide food, shelter and health care for those most in need in this country. A host of environmental programs are also slated for cuts. So is assistance to those living in poverty around the world, which represents a mere 1 percent of the federal budget. It is unconscionable to propose cuts to these programs while giving an increase to “security spending.”

Don’t allow “security” to become an idol. The United States spends eight times more on the military than Russia or China, the next highest spending countries. Imagine shifting even just a fraction of these costs into more life-giving purposes. The Pentagon’s budget for the current year, for example, would provide health care for 378 million children.

Jesus makes clear that where we put our treasure reveals our true priorities. Rather than allowing fear to drive our spending priorities, we must declare that our trust is in God, not weapons. We can and must invest in the wellbeing of all people, building the foundation for true security.

--Excerpted from Heart Where Our Treasure Is, Mennonite Weekly Review