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Welcome to Day 1718 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomA Big Government – Daily WisdomWelcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps. We are on Day 1718 of our Trek, and it’s time to explore another nugget of wisdom, which includes an inspirational quote along with some wise words from Gramps for today’s trek. Wisdom is the final frontier in gaining true knowledge. We are on a daily trek to create a legacy of wisdom, seek out discernment and insights, and boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend; this is Gramps. Thanks for coming along on today’s trek as we increase Wisdom and Create a Living Legacy. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016%3A16andversion=NLT (Proverbs 16:16) How much better to get wisdom than gold, and sound judgment than silver! If you apply the words you hear today, over time, it will help you become more healthy, wealthy, and wise as you continue your daily trek of life. So let’s jump right in with today’s nugget:
Today’s quote is from Thomas Jefferson, and it is: A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.
A Big Government
We all enjoy government benefits and tax breaks that help us personally; it is our fundamental nature. We need to be very careful, though when we start thinking that any government payments, benefits, or tax breaks are free, they most certainly are not. There will always be strings attached to anything that we receive back from government agencies. I fully understand that what we receive is at least partially what we have paid into the system as taxes, but most government officials do not look at it in that manner. Regardless of whether you think our current tax structure is fair or equitable, once monies are paid to the government in the form of taxes, the elected officials and the government agencies claim it as their own. So instead of pushing for more benefits for ourselves, we need to be working towards streamlining the government so that it is fair and equitable to everyone. This may mean those who are in need will receive the assistance they need, and may not have to pay for it, but ultimately they are under bondage to that governmental system. It is better to help those who can eventually support themselves to gain the skills needed to do so. If we become too dependent on the government, then we will have no defense when they desire to take away the very freedoms that are rightfully ours to have. The government has a legitimate purpose in all societies. We need to honor that purpose and pay the taxes owed but at the same time not to become overly dependent on the government. Let us work to depend on God instead. As the church, we need to do as much as possible to assist those in need.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2013%3A5%2D7andversion=NLT (Romans 13:5-7)
So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
As you ponder this nugget of wisdom for yourself, please encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of ‘Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.’

If you would like to listen to any of our past 1717 treks or read the Wisdom Journal, they are available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day’s trek will be downloaded automatically. If you have not done so, please consider giving us a five-star rating so that others will also join us in mining our nuggets of wisdom.
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