Monday, December 17, 2007

Chain of command and oppression

Eccles. 5:8-9
8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.
  • Why did Solomon say you should not be shocked by injustice and oppression of the poor?
  • What is the risk of bureaucracy?
    - Who do most people work to please: their employer or their customer?
    - How does trying to please a boss who is trying to please his/her boss cause stress?
    - Why is it easy to focus on pleasing one boss instead of pleasing a bunch of customers?
  • Who is responsible for helping the poor?
  • Who is responsible for assuring justice?
  • How likely are the poor to be truly helped and justice truly dealt under the sun? Why?
Harold's Musings:
It is depressing to think that the poor must suffer for a country to be great. Yet if we honestly think about it, we know that it happens all the time. It is the line workers who provide the labor that makes a company great. It is the rank and file soldier that makes an army great. It is the average citizen that makes a country great. Yet each of these examples has layer upon layer of bureaucracy. Sometimes bureaucracy works, sometimes not. In general though, everyone is concerned about themselves and what the person over them thinks about their performance. If I need to fire someone to balance my budget, then they are gone, justice and righteousness aside. Heaven is looking even better and better.

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