The writer is responding to a letter, “Don’t look to Caesar,” published in Sunday’s Post.

The writer suggests Christ lays the burden of care for neighbor on me and that I am going against Christ’s teachings if I look to government for help with that burden. It is not good to use Jesus as an argument against society planning to help each other. And might well be wrong.

The letter implied if I “looked to Caesar” for help with my neighbors’ needs, I would be twisting Jesus’ teachings.

Although Jesus does say “put God above all else and love neighbor as self,” I cannot remember anywhere he says governments should not help people. He said to pay Caesar taxes but still listen to God. The writer seems to use Jesus to support a political philosophy of “it’s OK for the government to make laws, establish courts, provide an army, build roads, give corporate welfare, but it is not OK to help people with needs of food, education, medical problems or old-age concerns.”

Ours is not a Caesar-like government. Far from it. Men wrote a Constitution that established our nation. They did not establish a Christian-only nation, but one whose documents are imbedded with Christian-like ethics and concepts — a government “of the people by the people for the people.” There we have it! How much clearer could it be? We have a Christian-like government for the people — whatever their needs and however we can meet them. It is not against Jesus’ teaching for a nation to help people in need. Your neighborhood could help gather toys for children, heat a cold home but can it help the lady with a heart transplant and a $100,000.00 bill? Wouldn’t it be good to have a neighborhood of 3.25 million people backing you up? Jesus is looking for help wherever a willing heart is open to giving it.

— Kay Overcash

China Grove