Faithfully yours - You have to play the hand you’re dealt

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Published on Saturday, June 11, 2016

By Neil Strohschein

The Neepawa Banner

Over the past few months, in addition to the federal election, voters in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba each elected new provincial governments.

Of the four groups of voters, only those in Saskatchewan saw fit to return the governing party to power. The other three elections saw massive shifts in the vote. The Liberals were swept into power federally. The NDP ended over 40 years of Conservative rule in Alberta, while the PCs did the same to the NDP here in Manitoba.

But the next day, it was business as usual. Just as new governments have always done, the three new ones identified above began blaming the previous administration for “the mess that we have inherited.” New parties may have been in power, but there was nothing new about the blaming game in which they engaged or the arrogance they displayed while doing it.

Now these activities may produce good sound bites for TV and shift public opinion in the new government’s favor. But they indicate a significant lack of respect for the good things done by past cabinet ministers, elected representatives and civil servants; along with a flagrant (perhaps deliberate) ignoring of one important fact; namely, that it really doesn’t matter who sits behind the Prime Minister’s desk in Ottawa or the Premier’s desk in Winnipeg. The conditions in the country and in the province are the same the day after the election as they were the night before.

Every new government has to pick up where the previous one left off. To use a phrase familiar to Poker or Blackjack players, “you have to play the hand you’re dealt.” Blaming the previous government for “the mess we’re in” does no one any good at all. What one government does to its predecessor, that government’s successor will do to it. It’s been that way since Confederation.

So how do we avoid this blaming game? Ancient wisdom can help us here.

St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written to a church that had split into four identifiable groups, each of which followed a different leader. Three followed human leaders (preachers)—some followed Paul, some followed Apollos and some were loyal to Peter. A fourth group rejected all human leadership and claimed to follow Jesus alone. Instead of drawing strength and encouragement from the Scriptures, the Corinthians spent all their time arguing over who had the right teaching and who didn’t; something that angered Paul to no end.

In no uncertain terms, he clarified his role in their church. He was the one who had “laid the foundation.” He was the first one to preach the gospel in Corinth, to organize those who believed into a local church and to teach them the basics of the Christian faith. When Paul left Corinth, Apollos continued what Paul began. Others did the same after Apollos left. Those who followed Paul built on the foundation that he had laid. Paul’s advice to them all was this—be careful what you build. The consequences of your actions will be around long after you are gone.

We live in a democratic society. In a democratic society, elections are held every four years. If we (the voters) don’t like the current administration, we can vote them out and put someone else in charge. That’s what happened in Alberta, Manitoba and Ottawa. Every new government builds its program on the foundation laid by all the governments that preceded it. They need to follow Paul’s advice. Be careful what you build. Your children and grandchildren will have to live with the results.