John 8:32 THE TRUTH WILL set you free! He always has!

Taking scripture out of context for personal use is such a favorite past-time of our society that it reminds me of the warnings Jesus gave us when talking about the end times and saying that this is exactly what would happen: that false prophets would speak, that the word would be used against us and that we would see many, many things that sounded like God and tickled our ears but weren't. Personally, I'd be very wary using scripture for my personal use like that because I think there's a very strong accountability issue. I recognize the fact that at any given moment, I may be in the presence of my Lord and Savior, and I do not want to be the one to look into His eyes and admit I misused His words for my personal gain.

So, let's explore that passage that is so fondly being thrown around at the moment and chastising me for posting what my very credible source has given me. The passage comes on the heels of the adulterous woman in which the Lord stated he who is without sin may cast the first stone. And no one could.(This is the first step of teaching that we are all sinners.) 

The next section just before this is Jesus' revelation that He is the Light of the World and believing in Him, no one will walk in darkness. (This is Jesus offering the solution to our sins: believing in Him.) Now mind you, please, remember that this portion of the chapter is addressing the Scribes and Pharissees up to this point in front of the Jews at the temple on the Mount of Olives.

And then it shifts, to those who believed in Him, He said: “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (Everyone focuses on just the second half of that sentence.)

All of my studies have taught me to read the verses before and the verses after for context. I'm sure this is actually sunday school 101 for everyone. So the verses after this one, go on to explain, that Jesus was talking about Himself. The truth here is HIM. Always has been and every believer knows that. So to use this verse like you have for YOUR TRUTH is misinterpretation of this verse.

The truth that needs to come out in our district will come out in the investigation Chief Johnson is thoroughly conducting. The truth you are espousing is your viewpoint from the labor side which doesn't have to balance all the management issues. The truth I have been posting is the "rest of the story" so to speak from the management side from deeper within so that you might possibly understand there are things labor doesn't know nor do they need to know. Management does what they have to do.

Mistakes will happen. There really are better ways to handle things than what's been going on. Rash accusations, tempers, disrespect, manipulation, games and rumors don't serve anyone. Timing is everything and our economy certainly hasn't helped everybody's original gameplan. A little grace goes a long way on all sides though.  

Short Lesson and Food for Thought on Pensions... one of the primary benefits of a firefighter

I was working on this post before I got tangled up in the attacking comments I had to address in the blogwars, so it's kind of out of order but still worthy of thinking about.

Retirement means relaxation and all the great things you worked for right? Well it didn't for Chief Hennessy when he came under attack for taking a lump sum payout for his pension. So let's explore the differences to their pension benefit AND the difference between his and Lester Godwin III's payment plan.

What's the difference between a Pension and a 401K? I wondered that myself as I've read all these arguments over the general public's outcry over a man who worked nearly 29 years to be the first firefighter to retire from Southern Manatee Fire & Rescue, Tom Hennessy. Then I wondered if Lester Godwin III had really thought it out before he let his outcry go the Bradenton Herald because the general public isn't stupid. There's been a lot of talk about Chief Tom Hennessy's pension payout of $1.6 million.  The amount sounds so exhorbitant until you figure out what that equates to per year for the time he worked: approximately $57,000/year income, which is basically a percentage of his salary.

The union managed to help blow out of proportion the payout that Chief Hennessy recieved for his pension because he got it in one lump sum of $1.6million after nearly 29 years of service to the department. This was properly done (as fully explained in the post by Leigh Hollis) and paid in one lump. This occured because the Union President, Merv Kennell took this to the ABC-TV Ch 7 news and made a news story about the issue.

The amount sounds exhorbitant but let's consider the next retiree who drew attention to himself with his extremely sad story in the Bradenton Herald, Lester Godwin III.  He retired also after 25 years and was told he could not have his lump sum of over $687,000 but would have to "settle for" monthly payouts of about $4800 per month for the rest of his life. Now think this through (as a Bradenton Herald reader has already), Lester Godwin is only 47 years old. There's a fair chance he'll live to be 67 years old, which is another 20 years. At that rate, Lester Godwin will have made $1,141,394.40 off the pension he's being paid montly. That's OVER $1 MILLION!  If he lives another 10 years, he'll earn $1.6 MILLION+ or nearly TRIPLE his lump sum pension! This is short term "sacrifice" for long term gain folks! Just do the math: $4755.81/mo x 12 =  $57,069.72/year income for his pension.

So, might we think the pension board actually did Lester Godwin a favor by securing him an income that he doesn't even have to work, but if he wanted to, COULD and RETIRE from an entirely different field if he wished with another pension or retirement plan?! Can we say shortsighted here? Goodness! In an economy where folks are and have been jobless for years, and pensions have been dissolved, this man ought to be downright grateful to get anything for the rest of his life! And it's guarnateed because TAXPAYERS can't just decide not to pay it out, and TAXPAYERS don't just go away (though they sure can become fewer which just shifts the burden to those of us left behind) so it's a sure thing! So, quit "crying"!