Squeaky wheels
One of the things I say to my folks when they are dealing with the bureaucrats is that the squeaky wheel gets oiled. If you want things to happen, nag. Complain. Put in complaints. People will (at least in NZ, for we cannot turn people away from our services) give you what you want.
Sort of. Because on the other side, at work, I get all those squeaky wheels. The hard. The difficult. And I give them my best advice. Which is often not what they want: and when I say that what they want is dangerous and should not be prescribed or given (and I won't do it) I get all the nagging and complaints.
But I fear God, and I have a duty to give good care to all.
And God will give good to us all, but at this time we have to stand steadfast and not give up. For many of our judges, our politicians, and those we are told are great and good fear neither God nor man.
18 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
There is a false suffering, a false sense of victimhood. There are those who squeak when their wheels are well oiled, because they want the attention that should be given to the poor, the sick, the oppressed, the enslaved, the blind, the deaf, and the simple. Though they are none of these.
Such people invent new ways to make themselves disabled. And they demand that we take them seriously. They weaponize charity.
And then wonder why they are not welcome at the Thanksgiving or Christmas table. For within the family, we should cover our weaknesses and celebrate our successes. Not everything is political, and we cannot ease our existential pain with more possessions.
We need to turn instead to God, who gave us all good things. But know this: his judging is true, and we will stand damned by our own standards and rules.
So choose to cling to Christ and his cross, where the penalties for all our sins are laid. And listen not to the professional victims bleating the lies of the narrative.