The Journey 180: Insure People Not Profits

Read: Joshua 7:1-26
         A landmark decision was made by The Supreme Court of the United States yesterday. It upheld the President Obama's policy of  needing total reform on the health care sector. The court yesterday ruled as constitutional,  the so-called individual mandate requiring most Americans to obtain health insurance starting in 2014. This ruling is considered as a significant  victory for the President,  as the presidential election is drawing near. But there are lot of questions that people are eager to know. The main concern that most the people has it that how will the health reform affect the American economy  especially at a time when it slowly regaining ground. The other concern is that whether all Americans will be guaranteed coverage  irrespective of ones' health condition and will they be forced to buy insurance?. A big question also looms large on business houses as to whether they will be able to recruit,  without taking into consideration the cost that may be needed to cover the health care.  But the Obama administration is confident about the new health care reform,  citing the present health care that the administration has done till this day. But the Republicans are not in a mood to toe the line of the President.  Mitt Romney has already gone on record that the only way to get rid of these health reform is to defeat President Obama in the forthcoming presidential elections. The Republicans say that every consumer protection comes with huge cost and hence they are vowing to fight and protect what is right.  This debate on health care reform touches many issues that are also ethical and moral. Does not the state have the right to see to it that the health care of every citizen needs is taken care of?. But if it takes care, will it fleece its citizen in the name of “health care”. How justified is the argument that each citizen has the right to decide whether he/she needs health insurance and to what extent of coverage? These are issues that needs to be discussed at lengths but the main concern should be the good of the society, community and country. I think whenever the decision are taken, care should be taken that it is the people at large or the majority of people who should be beneficiaries rather than catering to the individual and selfish needs.     This week we are meditating on the theme “ Transformation in our Family”. The bible portion that we shall use for our meditation is from Joshua 7: 1-26. The background of this text is that Joshua has conquered Jericho with help of the Lord and his fame has spread far and wide. That is when he decides to conquer the region of Ai. The people who spied on Ai told Joshua that to conquer Ai would be easy and hence they don't need the whole army to go to Ai instead a few thousands. But when the Israelites fought with the men of Ai they were routed. This caused Joshua  to rent his clothes and express his grievance to the Lord and asked the Lord as to why this had happened. That is when the sin of Achan was brought to the notice of Joshua. Here is one person Achan, who is not concerned about the well being of the people of the nation nor the laws of God. He has only his selfish motives, and it is that selfish motives that drive his life. It is this selfish desire of Achan that results into the nation of Israel getting punished. I think we need to learn a lesson from all these. Whether it is health reform issues, or issues in the family, transformation happens only when the individual focuses more on the well being and goodness  of the other, be it in the family or community or nation. It is then we can say that these are reforms that are transformatory.

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