The measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens. – Jimmy Carter

What for most of us is an inconvenience and a tightening of our financial belts can be imprisoning of the disenfranchised and poor. For most of us higher gas prices mean skipping pizza that week or not going to a movie. For someone struggling economically, it can be a loss of freedom. 

For our family this week, it became a reality. After “Bambi” committed suicide about two years ago by running into our Toyota Camry, totaling it (she ran into our door taking out the hardware and mirror), we decided to forego buying a second car and worked out our schedules with one car. It’s been a bit of a hassle but living in a small town with a limited commute helps…and we certainly have not missed the extra car payment. 

This morning though I went out to the van, turned the key and that dreaded sound of…nothing. It’s in the shop and we had to ask a friend for help getting around. Wonderfully, we have a church family that takes caring for each other seriously. Not only did a friend help, when two others from our church found out about our dilemma, they offered to assist us.

One of my favorite movies is Braveheart! Isn’t freedom something that we all long for? Freedom is part of God’s design of fulfillment and thriving for us. A car is synonymous with freedom.It means that you can work virtually anywhere. It means that you can live virtually anywhere. It means that you can send your children to school virtually anywhere. But without one you’re usually trapped in an urban area, too often a high crime one, dependent on public transportation or others. 

With gas prices skyrocketing, it’s taking a big bite out of the income of those already stretched economically. Add to that with the median household income in Wisconsin around $75,000, a reliable used car is $25,000 and a new one averages around $50,000. While wage growth has averaged 3–4% annually, used car prices have soared by more than 25% since 2020, severely degrading overall vehicle affordability for the average consumer.

Politicians are professionals at pointing fingers. What they often are is out of touch. The ones who suffer the most during an economic crisis are the ones who can least afford it. Please understand, for me, this is not a political issue, it’s a compassion one. And if anyone must speak out and care for the disenfranchised, it’s us as Christ-followers and the Church. 

The Bible addresses helping the poor in over 2,000 verses across the Old and New Testaments. God’s concern for the marginalized is a major theme throughout Scripture, with verses dedicated to generosity, justice, and defending the needy appearing in at least 26 different books of the Bible. 

Financial counselors will advise you that the time to prepare for the future is today. The United States holds an estimated 29.4 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil, on federal lands alone. When factoring in proven reserves and unconventional shale formations, the U.S. is estimated to have over 264 billion barrels of total recoverable oil, making it one of the most resource-rich nations in the world. The bottom line is that there is no reason for us to be dependent on other countries for fuel, particularly enemies who’d love to see our demise. I wouldn’t buy groceries from a drug lord, why do we buy oil from those who hate us?

Much of this fuel limitation is because of the outcry of environmentalists who believe we are the “human animal.” We’re not. We’re Imago Dei, made in the image of God. That means too that we are to be wise managers of this earth that God has entrusted to us. 

Humanity though is at the pinnacle of God’s creation. It’s morally wrong to cause suffering for other human beings to save those lower on the nature pyramid. For example, if you’re driving and are going to strike either a child or a squirrel, you take out the squirrel. 

Personally, I find it ironic that while most environmentalists are evolutionists and one of the foundational premises of evolution is “survival of the fittest,” shouldn’t that mean nature does the selection of who survives and prospers. Incidentally, those who hold a biblical worldview are to be committed caretakers of the environment. It’s part of what is known as the Creative Mandate (Genesis 1:28) given to us by God.  

Adding to this crisis is that in the U.S. we have not built a new refinery in 50 years. Limited production drives up fuel costs. The lack of refineries creates a bottleneck in the supply chain with less usable gasoline or diesel. While the Keystone Pipeline would not have alleviated our current crisis, it would have helped and it also would have created jobs. 

Everyone knows that the government needs to go on a financial diet. Drivers pay an average of about 52 cents per gallon in total federal and state taxes. In wartime you take aggressive actions. High gas prices are an economic “war” on American taxpayers. It’s time for a cease fire!

Members of government and environmentalists are seeking to force the finding of alternatives to cars and other fossil fuel-dependent vehicles with increased vehicle and fuel prices. Yet, the poor suffer while rich environmentalists fly in on fuel guzzling jets to discuss what we can do to save the environment. 

Do we need to continue to look for alternative energy options? Absolutely! Yet, not at the price of suffering and economic pain for those working hard to make ends meet. 

Sadly, most are skeptical that our government will do anything to solve this current economic hardship. Experience has taught us that government is terrific at creating problems but terrible at solving them. 

So, this is what Jane and I are doing in obedience to the real government, Jesus Christ’s. First, we’re praying that our governmental leaders will do one of the purposes God ordained them for – to care for the poor. Then, we’re going to pray for those who are struggling. Finally, we’re going to purchase and give away gas cards to those we know who are struggling. Maybe you could consider that too? 

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every Christian did a little bit to help out a financially limited neighbor? Afterall, the Lord Jesus commanded us, You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). Giving away some gas cards seems like a wonderful way to obey that command!