Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses…

This morning, as I read through posts on Facebook, I found one by Zack Exley where he talked about a discussion he recently had with someone from MIssouri. His interlocutor repeated and old criticism of government,

I think it's terrible that we're creating this culture of dependence with all these programs. It's just bad.

A culture of dependence. That is the big concern some people express about programs that help others. I believe this is an unChristian, morally bankrupt idea that ultimately is contrary to our very nature as humans.

We are born dependent. If we are fortunate, we live to a ripe old age and die dependent. Through out our lives we depend on others.

When I started composing this blog post in my mind this morning, I shared a comment on Zack's post:

I am depending on my Mac, the Internet and Facebook in allowing me to post this comment. This depends on the electricity system, the cable system for my Internet, and a bunch of other systems. I will write a much longer blog post about this on my blog after work today.

But first, I have to get to a job I depend on, because my family depends on me. I will have to drive across pubic roads I depend on, I will have to depend on other drivers and police to make it safely to work.

And yes, I will help provide health care to people who depend on their doctors as well as on the government which helps keep the health care system safe and funds portions of it.

When I get home, I will challenge the idea that creating dependence is a bad thing, based on my day, on music and on scripture.

My original thought was to start with

What would you think if I sang out of tune

Yes, I get by with a little help from my friends. There was a time when my favorite song was "I am a rock", when I didn't get by on help from my friends. It is a sad and lonely place to be, and I hope that those who criticize a culture of dependency will some day grow beyond that sad place.

Yet my plan for my blog post took a rapid change when I got to work. I found that the mother of one of my co-workers had died Monday and headed off to pay my final respects.

I never got a chance to meet Jessie Daniels Highsmith but her daughter is an amazing woman, and all the eulogies I heard let me know that she was an incredible woman as well.

She was the church secretary for 40 years.

Jessie exemplified a full commitment to faith, family and community. She was love in action and never met a stranger.

You could depend on Jessie. In times of grief, we depend on one another. A culture of dependence? Yes, we are called to be dependable and to depend on one another.

I pray for those who eschew a culture of dependence, hoping that someday, they may move from being a friendless rock to getting by with a little help from their friends. I pray that they may someday embrace their full humanity, including interdependence with one another. I pray that they may someday be surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, depending on one another.

And perhaps, most importantly, I pray that our national dialog shifts to one of embracing our humanity and our interdependence on one another.