Proverbs 11:26 Cake and Croutons
When people are hungry, they get desperate to find food. In the 1700s, European countries had constant conflict trying to prove who had the most power. England, France, Spain, and Portugal wanted to colonize various parts of the globe. France and England hated each other with passion. They were at war with each other multiple times, and wars were not cheap. Conflict after conflict costs money and lives. The United States of America won its freedom from Britain with help from France. France wanted to assist America in the battle against England and to help it lose the profit it gained from its colonies. But helping America fight for independence put France into an economic crisis. The French monarchy’s power did not make things better, but worse. Louis XVI became king of France in May 1774, and he was the last king of that nation. His wife, the Queen, was Marie Antoinette. They did not love each other or the people they ruled over. The country was already in significant debt, a famine was going on, and starvation was severe. The king raised taxes, and Marie made the deficit worse. She hired a chef to have chocolate prepared daily for her sweet tooth. Only the very wealthy had chocolate in those times; they were already hungry and hardly had bread for themselves. The Queen also had expensive hairdos done, and her clothing and jewelry were very luxurious. They were not happy when rumors of her fancy jewelry, hairstyle, and taste for delicate food were spreading among France’s hungry and poor people. The French Revolution began, bands of people joined, and a civil war started. Mobs of people storm the royal family’s palace and demand justice. Louis XVI and his wife were now declared guilty of treason, and they lost their heads by a guillotine. Thousands of French people witnessed the executions, and celebrations broke out because they saw those who starved them die like criminals. The people of France wanted the same government, like America had, for the people and by the people. France wrote a constitution with help from Thomas Jefferson. The nation was now a republic, not ruled by a monarchy. Ruling powers are supposed to serve the country and the people. The taxes people pay are the support the people, not benefit greedy politicians’ pockets. Other rulers do the same; Kim Jong-un, the dictator of North Korea, eats food while his people starve. His primary goal is developing weapons for warfare instead of feeding his people. Since COVID-19 began, Kim shut down borders, and trades and imports are not happening. Starvation is worse; North Korea is already barely self-sufficient and has nothing without imports from other countries. Be grateful if you have food to eat for your family and yourself. People worldwide are hungry and dying of starvation. Pray for them and help if you can. Share your food, God’s word as well, giving physical and spiritual nourishment. God bless you all, Jesus the bread of life loves you, and so do I. His bondservant Samuel.
