I'm Upset, You Should Be Too!

I try hard not to be distracted with things of this world, and this is why I sometimes refuse to read the newspaper or listen to the news or the radio, or any other news medium. I get upset, and you should too!

In The Washington Post, Monday, January 4, 2010 edition, I noted the front page headlines. Usually if I want to read the newspaper, I look at the headlines first to see if there is anything of interest. One of the front page headlines stated: "Law allows companies to hide risks of chemicals." Well, of course, this stimulated my interest and I decided to read the article.

The article states that "of the 84,000 chemicals in commercial use in the United States - from flame retardants in furniture to household cleans, nearly 20 percent are secret, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, their names and physical properties guarded from consumers and virtually all public officials under a little known federal provision.

The policy was designed, the article goes on to say, 33 years ago to protect trade secrets in a highly competitive industry.

Under the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, manufacturers must report to the federal government new chemicals they intend to market. But the law exempts from public disclosure any information that could harm their bottom line.

Now, this disturbs me because we are suppose to respect those who are in authority over us. How does the United States Congress pass a bill that says that manufacturers need to report new chemicals they intend to market but exempts information from the public that would harm the manufacturers bottome line? How does the Congress protect one group over another group of people?

Something is wrong with this picture. I am starting to get upset. I thinking I should be reading the paper more; I should set up a committee to protest this unjustice. Well, I just face facts I can't fix everything and one of the reasons I run to pray and study the Word of God is because I know that there is one who is greater, one who sees and knows all things, one who is omnipresent, omnipotent, and is in complete control.

This is one burden that needs to be laid down before the Lord. How can the average consumer protect himself if he doesn't know what is in a product he might use if the government allows the manufacturers to not disclose in order to protect their bottom line. So they can continue to make money off consumers and not be required to disclose.

Proverbs 31:8-9 says, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice."

We have a moral obligation and a command from God to speak up! There are people who may not have access to a newspaper or maybe they are like me, just don't want to read the newspaper, fearing there is some bad news in it. God doesn't let us off the hook so easily, we have to "speak up" so that justice will prevail and people will not get crushed. We are to be accountable! I am concerned and the Bible reminds me, "Give all your worries to Him, because He cares for you."( 1 Peter 5:7)

One things about the Word of God is this: it is truthful, it does not conceal, it does not try to benefit for its own good, it is no respecter of persons, and it is good for all those who read it.

Thought for today: You have a choice, you have free will. To whom will you take your case? To whom can you depend upon? Your legislator or the Master? In the morning, I am going to the Master, who is the final judge and arbitrator and who has complete control over this world we live in.