Manipulating the system!

Michael Martin, Speaker of the House of Commons (Lower House of the UK Parliament) is reported as having expressed his anger at the leaking of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith's expense claims, saying that he was "deeply disappointed" the details became public.

However, it could be argued that part of the reasoning behind such a “leak” is the abject failure of certain of the “honourable” members to act in an honourable fashion. In the specific case of Ms Smith (aka Mrs Timney) she has apparently manipulated the system so that a room in her sister’s home in London has been designated as her main residence, while her family home near Birmingham (where her husband watches pornographic films) is her second home. She has claimed, not only for an antique fireplace, plasma screen television, stone sink – at some £600 – etc. for this “second” home, but also for such “normal” household expenses as her broadband connection, and her Sky package (through which, undoubtedly, her husband ordered those offensive films). I have been using my own internet connection for school-associated work for years – but have never even considered claiming for it as a tax-deduction, let alone as a legitimate expense. On top of all of this, she employs her husband as her parliamentary assistant. Her total cost to the UK taxpayer (including yours truly!) has been some £300,000 in the past year. Nice work if you can get it, as the songwriter once put it! Almost forgot – this is the woman who reneged on an agreement over the salaries of police officers in England and Wales (not certain about N.Ireland). The words “sauce” “goose” and “gander” come to mind!

But the truth is being revealed. I am reminded of some words of the Lord Jesus: “The time is coming when everything will be revealed; all that is secret will be made public. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!” (Luke 12:3-4).

This is, of course, a salutary reminder to all of us – not just to politicians who “play the system” to their own greedy advantage. Only Jesus could, with total confidence, ask the question “Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin?” (John 8:46). To the rest of us, He says, as He said to a crowd of men, long ago, “…let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!"

Mrs Timney may, in the current context, pay with her ministerial post. All, who do not accept the salvation that Jesus won for us at Calvary, will pay with an eternity cut off from Him.