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There are situations in which a community or state needs to give up something for the benefit of the entire nation.

The closing of a military base is one such situation.

Federal lawmakers lack the courage to tell voters the truth about the U.S. military:

It is not the mission of the U.S. military to create and sustain civilian jobs.

Granted, nobody likes the loss of jobs, especially when hundreds of jobs are lost.

However, that's life.

The U.S. Constitution doesn't grant people the right to have jobs.

The U.S. Constitution doesn't grant cities the right to have military bases.

Sometimes life hands us a situation that forces us to either adapt or move.

For example, during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, many residents of the South-Central USA moved to the West Coast in order to survive.

During the oil bust of the 1980s, communities in Oklahoma learned how foolish it was to depend on one industry for economic survival. Those communities adapted by diversifying their industries.

During recent years, communities throughout the USA have had to endure layoffs at large corporations.

If a community is unable to endure the closing of a military base, then that community is nothing more than a welfare recipient.

Thus, the fight against the closing of a military base is a fight to keep people on government welfare. Keeping people dependent on government welfare is one way that some politicians guarantee their re-election.

Still, the threat of a job loss is troubling. Thankfully, the Bible addresses the deeper issue - personal survival.

In one of his sermons, Jesus said the following:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The closing of military bases results in a test of faith.

Are the people affected by the closures placing their faith in God, or are they placing their faith in the federal government?

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Personal Note: Earlier this year, this pundit was forced to find a new employer when the job that he had was eliminated. Thus, this pundit is addressing an issue that he has dealt with personally.

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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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