Bread & Circuses For All!!!
The concept of bread and circuses stems from around 100AD, when the term was coined by a Roman writer. It referred to a notion that the citizens of the Roman Empire, who had once been influential in the running of their empire, the choosing of elected officials and the direction of state policy, now were only seeking personal gratification through the consumption of food and leisure/pleasure. The Emperors and wealthy elite used to provide huge public spectacles in the forms of barbaric displays of violence towards other people and towards wild animals. This was backed up by the provision of basic food services for the masses. What this did was take the minds and focus of the ordinary citizen away from the wider goings on of society, and of their government structures - letting things slip past them that had a direct influence on how they lived…and at times died.
Surely, human civilisation has progressed in the 1600 years since the collapse of the Roman Empire???
The truth is…that it hasn’t, and there are real distinct reasons for that.
Satan: From the very outset, in the Garden of Eden, Satan’s deceptive and distracting techniques have not changed at all.
John 8:44 informs us that Satan was, “…a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”So, it should not be a surprise to us at all that the devices and methods that he used to corrupt humanity thousands of years ago are very much the same as he uses in today’s societies and cultures.
Human Sin: Since ‘The Fall’ humanities sinful nature has not changed. We are still depraved people who harbour ill will towards others, seek our own pleasures and desires, and suffer from pride - and as a result we are disobedient to the will of God for our lives.
Romans 3:23 tells us that in regards to humanity’s sin that, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.Or, perhaps we should consider the words of the prophet Jeremiah, when he said that “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” (Jeremiah 17:9)
Given these facts, it really shouldn’t surprise us that modern society, for all its technological advancements and increase in knowledge, is no different from that of ancient Rome.
Just like ancient Rome - our globalised, modern society is all geared towards the individual and the fulfilment of our own desires and wants.
On one hand, it tells us that we must go out and get our own, we must worry about having enough. Then on the other it says that governments and globalised corporations can fulfil those needs - if only you trust them.
Have a look at today’s world. We spend billions upon billions of dollars on entertaining ourselves, our families and our friends - be that through the foods we serve, the events we are involved in (even to the point we now pay subscriptions for television and movie services), or the sports that we watch or participate in (sports that are not all that distantly related to the ones found in the Roman arena) . We are willing to place our faith in human-made institutions and corporations that only have their own interests at heart. Consider the food we eat now. It is mass-produced, highly processed food that is actually designed to get us addicted to it, and to cause us health issues - so we have to rely on the private and state-run medical programs to have a ‘healthy’ life.
If you stop and think about that…the concept is truly insane and terrifying.
The problem is that the ‘Word of God’ actually says the opposite. It tells us that we need to place our focus entirely on God, and that it is ‘HE’ will meet your every need. So let us what Jesus said in Matthew 6…
Matthew 6:25-34 shows us the importance of placing our needs and desires before God and trusting him to meet our needs. It says “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
It is clear as day, or the nose in front of your face that our faith, does not merely extend to believing that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour, that he died and rose again after the third day. Our faith extends to the practical realm where we ‘must’ rely on HIM to provide for our needs.
You don’t need to plug into the system of ‘Bread * Circuses’ that is still being played out today. They are deceptive practices of the devil that aim to remove us from our dependency on God.
I pray that in these perilous times, in these times where we are all struggling in some way to meet our needs - be they financial, be they physical (like food and clothing), be they shelter for our families, or be they emotional and spiritual - that you do not think and act like the ‘unbelievers’ who are concerned about what they can obtain for themselves. Rather, that you focus on God, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else” and God will provide what you need.