Health Care: the ‘Haves’ and the ‘Have Nots’

by Reverend Dr. Russell B. Hilliard, Sr.

Since time immemorial, a battle has been raging between the “haves” and the “have nots” of planet earth. 

During the mighty Roman Empire, approximately half of the persons who lived in the Empire were slaves or vassals, the property of the power brokers. Gradually, and sometimes with terrific struggles, the “have nots” have come up in the world. Democratization has been the theme of the last three centuries. This push for equality and justice in the West is perhaps best seen in the benign socialism of Sweden today.

Yet, in the midst of the abuses of the Roman Empire, One came teaching the noblest form of sharing between the “haves” and the “have nots.” As a product of His teaching, the early church of Acts emerged with a pure, true, and undefiled Christian socialism. Of the fledgling church, Dr. Luke wrote, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need” (Acts 2:44-45 NIV).

Today about forty-six million Americans without any health insurance
are obliged to seek health care from doctors, hospitals, and nonprofit
ministries, and these caring individuals or ministries render a degree
of care with diligence and gladness. Another group of approximately
twelve million undocumented workers in this country also are at the
mercy of doctors, hospitals, and ministries for care.

Though the undocumented work and pay their taxes (federal taxes,
gasoline taxes, state taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, and Social
Security taxes), these persons working in, and for the well being of,
the United States, cannot receive any benefits from the government: not
food stamps, Medicaid, nor unemployment benefits.

Here in this civilized and enlightened country, where millions boast
that they believe in and live by the Bible, some of the loudest voices
crying out against health care reform are from persons who have
apparently neglected to read chapter two of Acts.

One of the strangest phenomena of the twenty-first century in the
United States is that many Christians have ripped Acts 2:42-47 from
their Bibles and, possibly even worse, from their hearts! Some
Christians and churches have unquestionably lost their way as to caring
for the underprivileged. They are wandering in the wilderness, in the
dry desert of opposing rigidly the right of all persons to receive
adequate health care as well as other human services.

What has happened to the churches that are producing the most virulent
voices opposing health care reform? Have they forgotten all the
biblical verses where God states his concern for the poor and the
powerless of this planet? Have they also ripped out of their Bibles and
their hearts the words of Jesus?

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and
you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in.
I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after
me. I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25:35-36 NIV)

Will the “haves” at last share with or only scream at the “have nots” of “America the Beautiful”?