Economic Injustice

In Matthew 25:31-46, the Lord Jesus tells the “Parable of the Sheep and the Goats.”  He commands His disciples to care for “the least” in society.  He declares in as much as we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, visit prisoners and care for the indigent, we “have done it unto him.”  In today’s context, we consider ways in which prevalent economic injustice in our nation systemically impedes our ability to care for vulnerable citizens.  In fact, it perpetuates and solidifies their poverty.  As followers of Christ’s example and His teachings, we grapple with these economic inequities and fight to remedies.

Arguably, all persons have a right to food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education, transportation and bodily autonomy.  Caring for the least of society obligates us to providing a requisite minimum amount of those resources to each member of society.  Thereby, he or she enjoys respect and dignity as a human being and more significantly, as a child of God.  The provision of those resources empowers everyone to actualize his or her God given talents and natural endowments.  To achieve such a grand vision, however, we willingly confront and eliminate systemic and ingrained economic injustice.

In the State of Tennessee, there are five stark examples of economic injustice in which we collectively exploit the most defenseless citizens.  First, the State has the highest sales tax in the country!  At 9.25% nearly a tenth of every dollar someone earns is devalued by this extremely high sales tax.  For working and poor families, they can hardly save or have “liquid” income for non-essential items.  The sales tax prevents upward social and economic mobility.  Since many of them are minimum wage earners and do not receive fringe benefits (medical and dental insurance, retirement plans, paid vacation, sick time, etc.), every penny they earn is vital to their provision for their families.  Additionally, Tennessee taxes food and some prescription drugs.  This further undermines the ability of poor and working families to subsist. 

Second, Tennessee refuses to consider a state income tax, which could potentially lower the sales tax.  I hasten to add that I have publicly opposed the income tax for the purpose of balancing the state budget.  However, I am not philosophically against a state income tax.  Like many citizens, I am rather cynical about institutional and governmental waste.  Therefore, I would favor a state income tax if it were tied legislatively to meeting the State’s two major challenges: (1) providing qualitative public education and (2) securing and sustaining TennCare (state health insurance).  A by-product of a state income tax would be the reduction in the sales tax.  Such a readjustment would allow poor and working class families to compete more effectively.

Third, we refuse to make a capital commitment to bettering public education in Tennessee.  Only seventeen percent (17%) of our residents have college degrees.  That statistic is six percentage points (6%) below the national average.  It prevents our State from luring high tech industries and jobs.  In addition, this stagnant figure perpetuates class divisions.  It essentially relegates the poor and working class to remaining where they are.  We willingly sacrifice some of our personal resources in order to allow others to actualize their potential.  They will greatly increase the gross domestic product of Tennessee.  Also, they will rely less upon governmental programs and services.  Moreover, we need all members of the work force adequately equipped to contribute to maintaining America’s competitiveness in the global economy.  If we in Tennessee continue to lag behind in the fundamentals of reading, writing, math and technology, then we risk the condemnation of our fellow American citizens who will characterize us as a drain on the country’s economic potential.  Nonetheless, we must find the moral will and commitment of public policy to increase the high school graduation rate from sixty percent (60%) to ninety-five (95%).  Commensurately, the percentage of college graduates will rise.  Yet, this necessity will only occur if we obligate ourselves by dedicating the requisite financial resources to reversing this unjust economic trend.

Fourth, within recent sessions of the Tennessee General Assembly, the Legislature approved a bill that allows for usurious lending and check cashing operations.  The cap upon interest rates for these services was essentially removed.  Additionally, predatory lending remains a vile practice as it relates to purchasing homes and financing car loans.  These unfortunate practices particularly affect the poor and working families who are trying to better themselves.  As Christians, we combat these systemic barriers to the dignity and wholeness of our brothers and sisters whom the scriptures characterize as our neighbors.

Fifth, the Church acquiesced the approval of a state lottery.  Notwithstanding its design of providing “Hope Scholarships,” the lottery is another regressive tax on poor and working families.  It solidifies the extreme amount of economic injustice in our State.  The residents of Shelby County will send the affluent children of the residents of Davidson and Knox counties to college for free.  Incidentally, I wager ninety percent (90%) of calls to churches are benevolence requests, people call seeking assistance for food, clothing, rent, utility bills, and other necessities.  This phenomenon only worsened as of 10 February 2004 when the first lottery tickets were sold.  Unfortunately, many faithful churchgoers voted for a lottery without completely analyzing the injury it inflicts upon many citizens.  In addition, they fail to appreciate the lottery’s exacerbation of ingrained economic injustice in Tennessee.

In conclusion, Matthew 25 details biblical and spiritual mandate and methods of advocacy, prophetic preaching, letter writing, and community activism that we use to remove economic, governmental and social barriers which rob the “least of these” of their inheritance as children of Almighty God.