The most valuable thing most people have is their children. I know kids aren’t things, but you get my point. It costs over a quarter million dollars to raise a child to age eighteen and this doesn’t include college! So if you have four children, and you could get someone else to foot the bill, you could be a millionaire!
But even beyond the monetary costs, children are valuable. I some cultures, children have the responsibility to take care of aging parents. They provide the labor for the family farm, or other business.
We used to eat at a wonderful Chinese restaurant when we lived in Columbus, Georgia. What I found cute was the fact that a small child was often playing behind the cashier’s counter. Many times family owned businesses, especially restaurants, had the small children somewhere on the premises. The only way to make money was to avoid babysitting costs. So, the restaurant became the second home to the children.
Think about the time and energy put into raising children. If only you could be paid to do the raising. Some countries that need children pay their residents to have them. They need children because they need tax payers. They need people to replace themselves. But in many of these countries parents are choosing to delay having children, or in some instances choosing to only have one child, thus not even replacing themselves in the society.
And the cost I have outlined quickly don’t even begin to factor infertility treatments and the cost of abortion. The USA is in financial troubles because we killed almost 55 million babies since abortion became legal here in this country. Dead taxpayers, scientists, construction workers, teachers, artists, chefs, consumers. That is a pretty great drain on any society. No wonder Social Security ran out of money!
The owner has sent his trusted employees to collect the rent that is due him. None of his attempts have worked. He is getting desperate. He thinks perhaps his last chance will work. He sends his son, his precious only son.
But the character of the renter has not changed. He wouldn’t pay the rent previously, so he has no intention of paying it now. His tolerance for violence has increased. He has already killed at least once, so another killing is not an issue. He has ‘gotten away’ with his delays before, so perhaps this time he can finish the collection process once and for all. He’ll just kill the owners son, the one who will own everything in the future. If he is successful, he thinks the land will be his. The owner won’t bother to try to collect anymore.
This is the opposite of integrity. When someone won’t honor their word, their commitments, their contracts, society falls apart. Trust in other people is what makes societies function. When there isn’t trust, oppression is the only way for a society to continue.
Do we want oppression to keep our society intact? Wouldn’t it be better for all of us if righteousness reigned, people keep the rules, wrongdoing was punished swiftly and fairly? How are you at keeping your commitments?
The Arnold Journey 