I am Third

       I am very active in my church, Our Lord's Lutheran Church (ELCA) and have a father and sister who are ordained Lutheran pastors.  So church has been a big part of my life.  My Dad has a poster that says "I am Third".  It  has been one of my guiding principles as is this quote: "I care, but I don't worry."  
        The I am Third" quote pertains to making God first in your life, others second, and you third. This is diametrically opposed to what I find in the nation today, where it seems that everyone is putting themselves first and everyone else a distant second. The sense of entitlement or that I am owed is exhibited everyday, and has changed the fabric of American society.  If our expectations are not met, we feel cheated and start looking for some type of re-numeration. A case in point was a story I read this week about a job fair held
by the city of Chicago.  People were angry that they were not offered jobs on the spot. Many said they waited hours only to find that various departments and agencies were advising potential applicants how to apply for available positions instead of actually hiring.  One man was quoted as saying he deserved a Wal-Mart gift card or something  for the time he had spent in line. I have participated in many job fairs during my professional career, and have never hired a new employee at the fair. The fair was a first encounter, a  place to explore opportunities with potential applicants, for them and us as a company to find out something about each other and to see if we might want to pursue further discussions.  Yes, I have left fairs with stacks of resumes and notes, and made contact with individuals immediately after the fair to  make preliminary offers, but I don't remember ever offering anyone a position at a job fair, even when we had openings we needed to fill. Job seekers asked for jobs on a regular basis, but never expected anything more than a chance to get their foot in the door. And many did that by establishing how they could be a asset for our company and what they had to offer to us, not by asking what we had to offer them.
         In his inaugural address in 1961, John F Kennedy, said ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country. My how have times changed.  With a record high number of people receiving some type of government assistance, we have created generations who now depend on government assistance in order to survive.  And now the business community in following suit. Many companies openly ask for, and expect,  government assistance before expanding or building in new location. I don't remember a single large retail location being built in our area in the past few years without a TIF or tax abatement or some kind of government assistance, all the while businesses keep racking up large profits. States and local communities routinely give these incentives without a second thought with the reasoning that if we don't someone else will and we will loose that investment, jobs, prestige, etc. And now many governments are feeling the pinch, looking to raise income taxes or other fees to make up for revenue shortfalls. Ending loopholes for everyone should be the first place to look. Somewhere in here is an argument for a flat tax structure, but I wouldn't pursue that at this time.
      The axiom, I am third, actually works in that by being unselfish and looking out for and caring for others, you will receive more.  While you are looking out for others, Someone or someones, will be noticing and looking out for you.  What goes around comes around, both good and bad. A change in attitude and some personal accountability will go along way in solving a lot of the problems this country is experiencing at this time.