Easy Times

I recently saw a quote, "Hard times create strong men. Strong men create easy times. Easy times create weak men. Weak men create hard times. " 

This does illuminate a cycle present in history. It is very evident we are living in easy times, one must only look at the men in this country, and the sheer fact that saying "men" could be seen as a trigger. 

Belief in truth creates disciplined men. Disciplined men raise disciplined families. 

Belief in relative truth creates undisciplined, greedy men. Undisciplined, greedy men don't raise families, and when they do, they raise undisciplined, greedy families.  

The life of the latter feeds off the environment created by the former, and its ranks increase. 

The cycle repeats because truth cannot be undone, and the arbiter of truth cannot be unthroned. Truth prevails; but we are a sinful lot, for even our discipline can lead to the sin of self-righteousness. 

Before sending troops to stop the North Korean advance into South Korea the US Military had faced years of drawback. We sent in an Army contingent "Task Force Smith" and they lasted all but a few hours against the North's advance. The phrase is now commonplace in military circles - "No more Task Force Smiths" Untrained men do no good in war. 

We are living the warning laid out in Deuteronomy 6, and it strikes me each time we read it before Shabbat each weekend. You will inherent wells which you did not dig and cities which you did not build. And when you have eaten and are full, then beware lest you forget the lord your God. We are living in a country built by stronger men in our past, we did not labor for the freedoms we enjoy. We are plump and heavy from our pleasure driven culture, and as a nation, we have forgotten the Lord our God. 

Our family shall not forget.