Why Is Common Sense So Uncommon?

Why Is Common Sense So Uncommon?
By Eddie Smith

Why is common sense so uncommon today?

One of Alice's and my dearest friends was Dr. Adrian Rogers. Adrian followed the legendary pastor and prince of preachers Dr. R. G. Lee as pastor of the historic Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis , Tennessee .
Dr. Lee, also a dear friend, was made famous partly due to his classic sermon Payday Someday, which he preached more than 1,200 times!
Those two men were a blessed influence on us early in our ministry. Both were known for their wisdom.

Adrian, who went to be with the Lord in 2005, never saw the troubling things we are see today in our nation. But he did have a word that seems to me to be quite applicable. I'm deliberately separating it sentence by sentence so we can meditate on each thought. Dr. Rogers is quoted Dr. Rogers said:
"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom.

What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does not good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation.

You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

(Source: http://www.rayfowler.org/2008/11/15/ten-great-adrian-rogers-quotes/)
Alice and I are blessed. We aren't wealthy, and don't have earthly wealth as a goal. We are laying up treasures in heaven.
And to be blessed with a pleasant home, food, and clothing is wonderful.
So wonderful that sometimes I find myself feeling sorry for those with less than we have.
Perhaps it's a housekeeper.
How about a hitchhiker?
Then there's the man working nights, buffing floors at Wal-Mart.
The young couple who are counting quarters to get the groceries they need.
It's enough to make me want to empty my pockets for their sake. Alice and I have always practiced the biblical injunction of benevolence. However, I must catch myself and remember:
When I was in the U.S. Navy, I did work nights buffing floors at the naval station.
When we were newly wed, we slept on the carpeted floor and kept our clothing in cardboard boxes because we had neither bed nor furniture. We did keep our food in an ice chest because we had no refrigerator. We did count quarters; pick up bottles along the highway; and grow our own vegetables--which we still do!

We did lose babies to miscarriages.
I did hitchhike. We did own several cars that burned more oil than gasoline.

We did lose everything we owned a couple of times. Yes, down to the very clothes on our backs. We were delighted to have enough money to buy toothbrushes and a friend's home to stay in. And since we lost our only vehicle and had to take a taxi; within an hour of losing all, we were blessed to lead the cab driver to faith in Christ.
It's easy for me to forget the long hard road we've traveled to be where we are; and to keep in mind that we could lose it all tomorrow and all would be fine.
I must guard my heart and not let my human sympathy for others replace the Lord as the guide to my benevolence.
You see, those difficult experiences drew us together as a couple; and drew us to God as our Source. Those difficult times formed Christ in us and taught us to trust nothing and no one but Him--ever!
For me to "bail out" the young couple or anyone else simply because I feel sorry for them is to rob them of the struggle.

It's the struggle that develops us. The Psalmist said, "In my distress He enlarged me."(Psa 4:1)
In whatever state you are in, be content.

If you are blessed today--be grateful.
If you're distressed today--be grateful. (Phil 4:6)

Godliness with contentment is great gain.
Unless you carefully allow the Lord to direct your benevolence, your intention to bless someone in need could actually rob them of even greater riches!

Is it possible that we could do that as a nation?

And, perhaps more importantly, is it our government's job to regulate our benevolence?

Why is common sense so uncommon?