August 2nd

Canada has a pretty good health system. It’s not perfect, but given the fact that any citizen can get their medical care for pretty much free, whether it’s a heart attack or a broken big toe, we Canadians don’t have much to complain about. Sure, there are the odd cases in which our national health service fails to meet expectations, but after having dealt with many, many recipients of it’s services, I can assure you that it really, relay, does work, and it works rather well at that.
One bad example, however, can sour our opinion. We see it happening in the United States right now: as that nation debates the pros and cons of a national system like ours, lots of folks are letting their opinions be known. One such voice is from a well-funded lobby group that would rather have health care remain in public hands. They have weighed into the debate by using one of the not-so-positive outcomes of our health care system. Thus, despite the first hand evidence of someone like myself, who has not only received excellent care, but who has also held hands with a whole bunch of folks being tended to in one hospital or another, our universal health care system is being portrayed as an example not worth following.
I watch this with a combination of bemusement and distressed. On the one hand I find it funny that people are so gullible as to believe just one voice, especially when that voice doesn’t necessarily have the best interest of the everyday, ordinary “people” (as in “We the People,” from the first line of the American constitution) in mind. On the other hand, I find it very distressing that people actually can be swayed by such a biased and obviously not the normal case argument.
Of course, it doesn’t take much for we humans to get distracted from the truth. God’s people throughout the generations have often been distracted by just one voice. They’ve been led astray by priests, kings, mothers and prophets. They lost their way because of one person complaining, or one finger pointing, or one little thing going wrong. They’ve been led down the garden path by a single stray sheep.
At the same time, one single solitary voice has changed our lives forever. One tongue speaking words of love and blessing has calmed many an upset heart. One pair of hands has healed and supported countless numbers of people that have fallen by the wayside or have been struck low with spirit-sick souls. One man has led countless generations along the paths of righteousness and truth.
Of course, that one man, Jesus, had some pretty solid backing. His case was and is irrefutable, His arguments infallible, His integrity untouchable. Thank God for that one voice in the wilderness, because we really need it. When it’s such a simple task for us to be lied to and believe it, I’m truly thankful that there is one trustworthy voice that can help us discern truth from error, enjoy better lives, and have the best possible spiritual health. We are truly blessed that God sent Jesus to call us out of the darkness. At least that’s the way I see it.